Long-term care insurance benefits worth less every day

If I gave you $50 to pay for dinner out, you could probably stay within that budget. But if I gave you $50 to save to pay for dinner in 20 years, you might not be too happy. What will dinner out cost in 20 years? Will your $50 even cover entrees at that time?

And so it goes with long-term care (LTC) insurance. Read on…

Americans will continue to cut spending

A new survey out from Allstate Insurance Co. and National Journal (called the “Heartland Monitor Poll”) reveals that 80 percent of Americans expect to cut their spending in order to make ends meet or to provide a cushion of financial stability for the future.

When you’re looking to cut spending, your insurance bills may seem like an obvious choice at first. Read on…

What’s the problem where you live?

The most common insurance claim in midtown Manhattan? Theft. It’s probably just smaller items — the average theft claim is just over $2,000.

In the “Windy City” Chicago suburb of Darien, where Insure.com is headquartered, the most common claim is — surprise! — wind. The cost tends to average around $5,000. Read on…

Yes, teen drivers are the scariest

Teens have a bad rap when it comes to their driving skills – and it’s totally deserved. They’re inexperienced drivers and they lack reliable reflexes when something goes wrong in front of them. This can be solved through experience on the road. Read on…

The most dangerous job in America

New statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor reveal the industry with the highest fatality rate last year: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting. The death rate for miners is also high, along with workers in transportation and warehousing industries and construction. Read on…

Pay-as-you drive car insurance headed to California

Earlier this month, California’s department of insurance announced it has finalized regulations for insurance companies that want to sell pay-as-you drive policies, sometimes known as usage-based car insurance. Insurers will be able to verify mileage through devices in customers’ cars or odometer readings at auto-repair shops, smog-check stations and other places. Read on…

What’s up with fall car accidents?

Defying conventional wisdom, a new study from the University of Michigan says that fall is the most dangerous driving season. September through December host the highest rates of car-crash fatalities. That means winter’s snow and ice don’t lead to as many crashes as one might guess. Read on…

Yuck! When freaky medical conditions attack

My sons’ swimming teacher recently told me that her husband has a big hole on the top of his foot, where the skin is disappearing for no apparent reason. And there’s another skin hole starting near his ankle. He went to the emergency room and the doctors gave him an antibiotic and sent him home. Read on…

H1N1 flu will go “back to school”

The H1N1 flu (formerly called swine flu) has not been on summer vacation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that influenza activity is higher than normal for this time of year, and 98 percent of positive influenza A tests reported to the CDC last week were H1N1. Read on…

Pre-planning for a car accident can save you money

It’s always hard to predict how you’d react in a crisis. Take, for instance, a car accident. Unexpected and scary, a car accident can make you confused and uncertain. But keeping your wits about you after an accident is important in order to protect your financial future – you don’t want to make bad decisions that delay or destroy a car insurance claim. Read on…