Unwanted life insurance: How to unload your policy for money

A decade ago, if you no longer wanted or needed your permanent life insurance policy you were pretty much out of luck. You could lapse the policy or take the surrender value, if any was available. Today there are more options than simply walking away from an insurance policy you don’t want or need. Read on…

Teen drivers sock it to insurance bills

Adding a teen driver to your car insurance policy can be one of the most expensive changes you’ll ever make. Because of their inexperience behind the wheel and high accident rates, teens are always considered “high-risk” drivers and their parents pay accordingly. Read on…

How life insurance is priced

Life insurance prices are based on your life expectancy, the face amount you request and the length of the policy. Because your current and past health conditions impact your life expectancy, insurance companies want to know as much as possible about your health condition. Read on…

U.K. gives casino insurance a spin

Online gamblers in the U.K. have access to a new type of insurance that American gamers won’t be seeing anytime soon: casino insurance. Offered to players at online gambling site Devilfish.com (which does not accept wagers from the United States), casino insurance promises cash back for non-winning online gambling sessions each month. Read on…

Trampoline trouble

Summer sun brings out backyard fun. But when you set up your trampoline or fill your pool, you could also be setting yourself up for an expensive injury or lawsuit. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there were over 104,000 injuries last year due to trampolines, which are famous for leading to head and neck injuries – even when they’re used properly. Read on…

You could add years to your life

We all know that eating well and exercising regularly will add years to our lives. Stress will reduce lifespan gains we could have made. Family health history also affects our longevity. But by how much?

Before I commit to a summer exercise regimen, I’d like to know exactly what it’s worth to me. Read on…

Look Ma, no butts!

An e-cigarette “starter kit” from E Smoke

When I first heard of “e-cigarettes” I assumed it was a Web site where you click on a picture of a cigarette and watch a puff of smoke come out. But e-cigarettes are very tangible and are marketed to solve the problems of the typical cigarette smoker – such as complaints from one’s family about the smell of smoke. Read on…

The case for “pay as you drive”

My colleague has a case against “pay as you drive” insurance. She doesn’t like the idea of someone “watching” her as she drives. She likes her privacy. Read on…

The most & least expensive vehicles to insure

Insurance never fails to surprise. Even though car insurance rates are increasingly driven by databases and automated number crunching, every now and then the industry pulls a rabbit out of its hat. Read on…

Insurance & special needs children

Facing the prospect of caring for a special needs child after you’re gone is daunting. But life insurance is all about planning for the generation after you. Combined with the right financial tools like trusts, guardianships and wills, life insurance ensures funding for your child’s future needs. Read on…