Where’s the best place to find information about life insurance?
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine has named www.insure.com as the best site for life insurance information two years in a row. For good reason, too — the site is packed with must-know information, and not just about life insurance.
Here’s just a sample of what you’ll find at www.insure.com:
• In this shaky economy, it’s not too much of a stretch to wonder if our insurance companies are going to go under. Fear not. Just as bank customers are protected if a financial institution fails, most state have guaranty funds to handle insurance claims, up to a certain limit.
• Insure.com has a number of useful tools, such as car-crash safety ratings. Select your vehicle by make, model and year, and you’ll get star ratings in front and side impacts, as well as rollovers.
• Need to understand annuities? Insure.com covers not only the basics, but provides in-depth information on accessing money before retirement and what to beware in a sales pitch.
• Need health insurance, but you’re already sick? Look at the list of 12 ways to get health insurance. One particularly inventive way is to declare yourself a “group of one.” This varies by state, but in many locations insurers are required to sell guaranteed issue policies to small groups.
• Before you buy a policy for any reason — home, health, auto — check the company’s ratings. You can search the site by company name or by ratings. The ratings will tell you the financial shape a company is in.
• If you need a refresher, check the section on identity theft to make sure you’ve covered all your bases.
• Wondering if you should call your insurance company about a small claim? Even if you decide not to file a claim, your call will be recorded and a note made that will stay in your file for seven years. Too many of these “losses,” and you could end up with a higher rate, even without a claim.
• Need to reduce your costs on house coverage? Check the “10 Ways to Save on Home Insurance” article.
• If you have a complaint about your insurer or a question about state insurance laws, click the State Information link for contacts in all states.
Uffington does not personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine has named www.insure.com as the best site for life insurance information two years in a row. For good reason, too — the site is packed with must-know information, and not just about life insurance.
Here’s just a sample of what you’ll find at www.insure.com:
• In this shaky economy, it’s not too much of a stretch to wonder if our insurance companies are going to go under. Fear not. Just as bank customers are protected if a financial institution fails, most state have guaranty funds to handle insurance claims, up to a certain limit.
• Insure.com has a number of useful tools, such as car-crash safety ratings. Select your vehicle by make, model and year, and you’ll get star ratings in front and side impacts, as well as rollovers.
• Need to understand annuities? Insure.com covers not only the basics, but provides in-depth information on accessing money before retirement and what to beware in a sales pitch.
• Need health insurance, but you’re already sick? Look at the list of 12 ways to get health insurance. One particularly inventive way is to declare yourself a “group of one.” This varies by state, but in many locations insurers are required to sell guaranteed issue policies to small groups.
• Before you buy a policy for any reason — home, health, auto — check the company’s ratings. You can search the site by company name or by ratings. The ratings will tell you the financial shape a company is in.
• If you need a refresher, check the section on identity theft to make sure you’ve covered all your bases.
• Wondering if you should call your insurance company about a small claim? Even if you decide not to file a claim, your call will be recorded and a note made that will stay in your file for seven years. Too many of these “losses,” and you could end up with a higher rate, even without a claim.
• Need to reduce your costs on house coverage? Check the “10 Ways to Save on Home Insurance” article.
• If you have a complaint about your insurer or a question about state insurance laws, click the State Information link for contacts in all states.
Uffington does not personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.