Life Insurance Quote Overview

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrecked much of the Gulf Coast and may have also done permanent damage to the insurance business, a report from Standard & Poor's suggests. Whether homeowners and businesses in the region will be able to buy insurance in the future is in doubt.

Like thousands of other homeowners, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) lost his home when Hurricane Katrina roared ashore. And like thousands of his constituents, Lott has not been able to get his insurer to pay for replacing his house.

Hurricane Season 2005 officially comes to a close November 30 but its economic, political and human effects will be felt for years to come. Nationwide, this season was the busiest on record, with 27 named storms and 11 federal disaster declarations.

As pressure increases on Congress to establish federal back-up for insurance losses due to large natural disasters, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) released several standards it has developed to protect taxpayers and consumers.

When you're buying a car, a home or an appliance, more than likely you'll be pressured to buy a service contract, or "extended warranty," as part of the purchase. The warranty, you'll be told, covers repairs not covered by the manufacturer's warranty, or will extend coverage after the manufacturer's warranty expires.

Amica Mutual Ranks Highest in Overall Satisfaction

Major hurricanes, such as the ones that have ravaged the Gulf Coast states in the past two years, have had a significant negative impact on consumers' feelings about their homeowners insurance in those states, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Homeowners Insurance Study.

It's not only FEMA that disappointed Hurricane Katrina victims. Businesses and charities have also lost a lot of good will, including those who spent big bucks on advertising to boast of their relief efforts.

Company and State Attorneys General Brokered a Cozy Deal

Motorists across the country are getting some surprising letters from State Farm Insurance and their state attorney general's office. The letters inform them that their car is a total wreck.

A New Orleans resident has filed a class action suit against American International Group (AIG) and its subsidiary, Audubon, charging the companies have failed to help their policyholders who are in desperate need of assistance after the hurricane.

Texans Displaced by Hurricane Rita Charge Allstate Stiffed Them
A Texas judge has ordered Allstate Insurance Co. to cover the living expenses of its Texas policyholders displaced by Hurricane Rita, and the state's attorney general won a court order barring Bankopp.com, from an alleged scam directed at hurricane victims.

NOLA Flooding Caused by Human Neglect of Levees, One Suit Argues

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a major storm is brewing over the denial of many homeowners' insurance claims. Battered by consumer attorneys on one side, major insurers are watching their credit ratings being downgraded because of what's likely to be the largest insured loss in U.S. history.

Mississippi Files Sues to Void Certain Exclusions

Katrina survivors are reporting difficulty in obtaining copies of their insurance policies in the wake of the disaster and some are finding that insurance companies are refusing to pay claims, pointing to exclusions against water damage.

A New York grand jury has indicted eight former executives of the nation's leading insurance brokerage firm for their alleged roles in a massive bid rigging scheme that defrauded clients of millions of dollars.

Health insurance coverage for American workers is not only getting more expensive, it�s getting rarer. The percentage of businesses offering health insurance to their workers has declined steadily over the last five years, according to the 2005 Annual Employer Health Benefits Survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust.

Callers claiming to have private insurance were much more likely to receive a follow-up appointment within a week for an urgent medical condition than those with Medicaid coverage or those without insurance, according to an article in the September 14 issue of JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association.

The insurance industry is putting damages from Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding in New Orleans at more than $100 billion. The estimate comes from Risk Management Solutions, a leading insurance industry analyst.

With floodwaters still covering much of New Orleans, most homeowners have not yet had a chance to even think about beginning to repair their property and insurance adjusters can't begin processing claims until the waters recede and order is restored.

Residents forced from their homes by Hurricane Katrina should remember that they may well have insurance coverage under their homeowners insurance policies that will help pay for food and housing and other essentials of daily life.

The Hartford, Travelers, CNA Paid Kickbacks to Agents

A $30 million settlement has been reached with Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH), the nation's eighth largest insurance agency, for surreptitiously steering clients to certain insurers in exchange for hidden commissions.

Consumer Advocates See It As A Bad Omen for Other Class Action Cases

The Illinois Suprme Court has thrown out a $1 billion class action judgment against State Farm Insurance over the use of so-called aftermarket auto parts for repairs.