Google has launched a new service that combines flu shot availability information with Google Maps, google.com/flushot. Everything that you love about Google Maps, plus flu shots! Google notes on their blog that, "this project is just beginning and we have not yet received information about flu shot clinics for many locations. In addition, many locations that are shown are currently out of stock. We launched this service now in order to help disseminate information about locations where vaccines are available, and also to make more vaccine providers aware of the project so that they can contribute."

Always make sure to call the location ahead of time to verify vaccine availability and your eligibility.

Finding flu vaccine information in one easy place [Googleblog] (Thanks to Dirk!)

Consumer Reports has a detailed information page about companies that track and sell your personal information. The data comes in the form of consumer credit reports, insurance credit reports, your health history, your checking and banking account history, your criminal background, your history of retail returns, and your property rental history.

In most cases, you can pull free copies of these reports periodically, which is good because errors can pop up in these reports just like they can in a consumer credit history. But who has time to pull and monitor that many databases of personal information? The website PrivacyRights.org suggests you stick with yearly monitoring of your consumer credit report (the one you can get for free only at www.annualcreditreport.com), and pay attention to the other ones only under certain circumstances:

• New homeowner's or auto insurance: order your CLUE or A-PLUS reports
• Victim of check fraud or general checking or savings account problems: order your ChexSystems report
• Employer (current or potential) asks for permission to run background check: ask for name of the screening company and contact them as soon as they've issued the report
• Applying for a new job: order Employment Data Report from Work Number if any past employers used that company; also consider ordering a ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure
• Renting an apartment or home: ask the landlord for the name of the screening company, as there are several
• Health, life, long-term care, or disability insurance: order your MIB report from Medical Information Bureau
• General overall check-up on what you look like as data: order a ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure and a Lexus-Nexis Accurint Person Report

There is one time when you may want to go crazy and order everything, and that's if you've been a victim of identity theft.

(Thanks to commenter mac-phisto, whose advice in an earlier post on auto insurance triggered this one.)

"Big Brother is watching" [Consumer Reports]
"What You Should Know about 'Specialty' Reports" [Privacy Rights Clearinghouse]
(Photo: Erik Pitti)

Other tips include reducing your mileage and having a theft-deterrent device installed. You might also want to compare risk classifications for cars if you're shopping for a new one—your insurer should be able to provide you with a comparison chart.

"10 Things That You Can Do To Lower your Auto Insurance Premium" [Mint]
(Photo: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³)

Know the failure rate of the product you're buying.
The best way to establish the actual value of an extended warranty is to know the failure rate of the product; then you can make a better guess about whether it's financially acceptable to you. For instance, the warranty website SquareTrade estimates failure rates for Wii consoles at 2.7% over 3 years, and they sell their Wii warranty for $30.

To a perfectly rational person, that insurance is worth exactly 2.7 percent of $200, or $5.40. But it can be worth more to someone who fears financial loss of the product or the inconvenience of repairs.

Finding failure rates can be difficult, though. Here's a list of generic failure rates from data released in 2006, or you can sometimes find info by Googling the name of the item + "failure rate." You might also want to find out beforehand how responsive the manufacturer is with defective products—Nintendo, for example, has a pretty good reputation when it comes to fixing devices that break through no fault of the owner.

If you're buying something that gives you pleasure, put off any decision about a warranty for a week or two.
The NYT article cites some research by psychologists that indicates consumers who are buying products that make them happier tend to buy more extended warranties. You might think this is because they tend to break down more, but you'd be wrong—with the exception of the Xbox 360, which I believe has a failure rate of somewhere around 11,000%, it's household appliances like washers and dryers that break down more frequently. And yet, fewer customers buy those extended warranties, and pay less for them when they do.

If you get a good deal on something, don't even consider an extended warranty at the time of purchase.
Because you'll be so high on the fact that you got a good deal, you'll fall right into the trap described above of being more risk-averse than normal, and hence more likely to throw away your savings at the register on an overpriced extended warranty.

"Don't Worry, Be Happy: The Warranty Psychology" [New York Times]
(Photo: shalf)

To recap, Capital One told Andon to wait 30 days before calling in to request activation. When he followed their instructions and called back 30 days later, he was told that he had to have called 5 days earlier to activate it for that month. Then he was charged a late fee.

Andon sent the company an Email Executive Carpet Bomb, or EECB, explaining what happened. This was the result:

I would just like to let you know that I sent an EECB, and was contacted today by Greg at Capital One who worked out the problem for me. He said I was absolutely right about the problem with the first month of the Emergency Payment Protection (the whole waiting for thirty days since unemployment, but having to have called five days before the payment's due date,) and that there is actually a special exception program in order to address this, but that it just wasn't followed properly in this case. They were very understanding, and apologized for the inconvenience - all is well, now.

Congratulations, Andon! Remember, if the front line of customer service at a company refuses to see logic or reason, try to escalate it to higher levels. Frequently it's either a case of the CSR being powerless to help you, or a breakdown in training or communication.

RELATED
"Capital One Tricks Customer Into Not Activating Emergency Payment Protection Plan"

Here's his story:

I have a credit card with Capital One, and a few months ago I was contacted by them about setting up an Emergency Payment Protection Plan. Given the way the economy and job market have been, this sounded like a good idea. I should also note that I am also a full-time college student, and I suffered a medical emergency back in February, for which I am still paying. I worked about 24 hours a week (full time in the summer,) until I was downsized from my job on September 28th, 2009.

I called Capital One on September 30th to let them know this, and to try and activate my Emergency Payment Protection. When I talked with a representative in Payment Protection, they told me that I would have to wait 30 days from then, and—if I was still without a job at that point—then they would start taking care of my minimum payments for me. They also told me that I would have to take care of September's payment, but both stipulations seemed reasonable enough to me. Essentially, I had to be unemployed for a month before they would begin covering my payments—fair enough, right?

So, I received my last paycheck at the end of September, and I spent nearly every dollar on utility bills, leaving me with literally no money throughout October. The end of the month comes around, and I call Capital One back to let them know that I need to activate my Emergency Payment Protection. They transfer me to Payment Protection, where I am told that I would have had to have called five days before October's payment due date for them to cover my minimum payment.

I paused for a moment, and then explained the paradox: if I had to wait 30 days for them to cover my minimum payments, but I would have needed to have called five days in advance of the end of the month, then how could I feasibly, logically, realistically have sorted this out? The representative saw the problem, and told me that I would need to speak to someone at Capital One to get the retro-payment ordeal sorted out.

I go back and forth between both departments, until I finally speak to a supervisor at Capital One who tells me that they can waive the late fee for the October payment, but that now my account would have to be current before any Emergency Payment benefits would go into effect. I told them that I appreciated them doing that, but it still didn't solve my problem.

TL;DR: I have no money, and I am stuck between Capital One and their Payment Protection department's arbitrary rules. If I had to wait 30 days to activate my benefits, but I needed to do it five days before the due date, then that's a logistics problem on their end, and also a physical impossibility (for the first month, at least.) I did nothing wrong—I followed their instructions exactly as they were prescribed to me—and yet, I feel like I am being punished.

I know my account has to be current for them to cover my minimum payments, but what happens when it's no fault of my own that my account isn't current? This is a problem that they need to sort out on their end. I have been a customer of theirs for over three years, and I don't feel I should be punished for simply following the rules.

NOTE: Please know that everyone I spoke with during this ordeal was very kind and considerate. They recognized the problem and understood the situation, but they all told me that there was nothing they could do about it. This is not their fault, this is the fault of the company and their rules and regulations.

Update, November 6th, 2009: Andon wrote back with an update, and it looks like Capital One has agreed to activate the protection.

RELATED
"Capital One Calls To Dun For Payment Before It's Even Due"

While prefacing the advice with a disclaimer that lying to your insurer constitutes fraud, the article says you should be careful the way you word things. The expert interviewed in the story is Allan Sabel of Sabel & Associates, an adjusting firm in Bridgeport, Conn. The first piece of advice is not to say you've suffered a flood if you haven't:

Homeowners often use the word "flood" inappropriately, and it can trigger an alarm with insurers — since flood damage is not covered under a standard homeowners insurance policy. To an insurance company, "flood" means water from a nearby lake, stream, river or other body of water. This may seem like a minor distinction, but your insurer has a very narrow definition of flooding.

"Many people believe their house is flooded because it's full of water — but it's not a flood by the insurance definition," Sabel says.

If your water damage did not come from an overflow of a nearby lake, stream, river or other body of water, don't even say the word "flood," says Sabel.

Other advice includes sticking to the facts and avoiding your opinion and not labeling any medical treatments you've had as "experimental." I'd also add never labeling your occupation as "insurance fraudster," when you're a fraud investigator who works for an insurance company.

5 things never to tell your insurer [MSN Money Central]
(Photo: Steve O)

The funny thing is United HealthCare has already insured Aislin once before, when she was born. Then her father switched jobs and insurers. He recently switch jobs again and switched back to United HealthCare, and that's when the trouble started.

The insurer turned down coverage for Aislin - even though it had already insured Aislin as an infant - stating she did not meet height and weight standards and also noting the Bateses had sought treatment for Aislin's finicky eating habits.

But the Bates' doctor vouched for Aislin's health and said there's nothing wrong with her, that her petite size is due to genetics, and that she's perfectly healthy.

The Bates family told MSNBC why they sought "treatment" over her eating habits in the first place:

Robert and Rachel realized Aislin was a picky eater early on, and went the extra mile to enroll her in food therapy. But instead of earning brownie points with the insurer, the family believes having their daughter in treatment is actually being held against them.

"We wanted to fix her picky eating, because we want her to be able to eat a wide variety of foods, and not just things she wants to eat, like chocolate," Rachel Bates told TODAY.

"We personally sought out therapy; it was not prescribed by a doctor. In the process, it was found that [Aislin] has just a minor, minor gag reflex, causing her to not like certain foods. But the therapist says she's thriving and fine, and she's developing normally and in fact, possibly advanced."

"Toddler denied insurance for being too small" [MSNBC] (Thanks to Kate!)

RELATED
"Fat Little Babies Can't Get Insurance?"

He paid the money, then submitted a complaint via Ryder's online form, and is understandably pleased that Ryder decided to refund the money. But Patrick doesn't stop there, basically saying Ryder has won his loyalty for life by refunding the money it never should have asked for in the first place. He submitted this letter to Ryder:

To whom it may Concern:

On the morning of 9/25/09 at approximately 8:30 AM, I rented a Truck from your South Plainfield NJ location. Upon rental, prior to taking possession, a walk around was done on the truck identifying any damage to the truck on the Commercial Vehicle Damage Description Report – Safe Driving Tips form. Upon the walk around me and the person accompanying me identified that the front passenger side corner cap was damaged and had duct tape on it, either holding it together or on. I made sure that it was clearly marked on the Vehicle Damage Description Report, and did not inspect it any closer as I felt that the report was sufficient evidence upon return that I was not responsible for the corner cap damage. After my last stop that day and upon empting the truck I noticed that there was pieces of plastic with duct tape on them in the back of the truck(closest to the cab). I looked up and saw that the corner cap now had a hole in it where the duct tape damage was noted that morning. I thought to myself, not a big deal, this was clearly noted on the Vehicle Damage Description Report, end of story. The vehicle was returned at approximately 8 PM on the night of 9/25/09.

On Tuesday 9/29/09 I was contacted by the rental office and was told that there was damage to the previously stated corner cap and that I was going to be charged for the repair. I said that this was unacceptable and was directed to call the Rental Manager to dispute this. On 9/30/09 at approximately 11:30am I spoke with Dan DeMichael, the Rental Manager, and told him I did not feel that I was responsible for this damage, since it was clearly noted on the Vehicle Damage Description Report, prior to my taking possession of the truck. His position was that there wasn't a hole there when I got it, it was just a piece of duct tape, and it had nothing to do with the structural integrity of the corner cap. The conversation ended there because he had no estimates for repair and did not know how much he wanted to charge me at that time. On the morning of 9/19/09 he contacted me again after getting the estimate and is now charging me $200 for the repair of the corner cap. I stated that this was unacceptable and did not feel that I should be held responsible for a repair of something that was clearly already damaged and documented on Ryder's form. I asked for documentation of the previous renter's damage claim and repair charge for the damaged corner cap with the duct tape on it, but that could not be provided. I can only assume that this corner cap was previously damaged and repaired to a sub standard state with duct tape in house to save money on the repair work. After I drove it around for 12 hours the duct tape lost its integrity and this sub standard repair fell apart. Now I am being charged for it because the previous repair was not done properly and happened to fall apart while in my possession.

I have used Ryder in the past with no problems. I have exclusively used Ryder the past few years because of bad experiences with competitors and never had any of those problems with Ryder. I have told everyone I know not to use said competitors and have always recommended that they go with Ryder. This, unfortunately, may not be the case if Ryder does sub standard in house repair work, and waits for someone with a $500 deductable to come along and then charge them for when the substandard repair doesn't hold up, regardless of the damage being noted on the Vehicle Damage Description Report, which according to your contract is what should have been done. I would like my $200 refunded so I can stay a happy Ryder costumer and continue using your services in the future.

I disagree with Patrick that the insurance is a good idea. In most situations your own car insurance should cover any damages done to the vehicle. But of course you should check with your provider before you go U-Haul crashin.'

(Photo: Atwater Village Newbie)

After the Denver Post publicized the story over the weekend, the insurance company relented yesterday and issued a press release saying, "We have changed our policy, corrected our underwriting guidelines and are working to notify the parents of the infant who we earlier denied."

The company blames the incident on the fact that individual health insurance for babies is a "relatively new process," and that their underwriting system was flawed.

"Heavy infant in Grand Junction denied health insurance" [Denver Post via the raw story]

One of the most disturbing findings from the report is that "in 1999-00, there were only two states with 23 percent or more of adults uninsured. But by 2007-2008 there were nine."

Vermont took first place, and was praised for its extensive preventative health care program:

The Green Mountain state was cited for its model "Blue Print" program. Launched by Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, it covers everything from teaching children healthy eating to helping seniors stay in their homes rather than going to costly nursing homes.

"You betcha, I feel good about the reforms we put in place," Douglas told ABCNews.com. "It's centered on quality and containing costs. Care shouldn't start in the emergency room."

All Vermonters are encouraged to have yearly exams and adults are notified when they are due for check-ups.

Compare Vermont's outreach with Mississippi's stringent "face-to-face" eligibility requirements for Medicaid benefits, which is partly what put it in 51st place:

Despite one of the highest matches of federal to state dollars in Medicaid funding, the state mandates "face-to-face" eligibility, requiring all new applicants and those reapplying for benefits to come in for an interview.

"As a direct result, 65,000 children have fallen off the rolls," [Mississippi Health Advocacy Program director Roy Mitchell] said.

"Mississippi does virtually no outreach at all. They don't publish where these face to face stations are and what times," he said. "It's a bureaucratic maze even to find out where to go. And when they get there they don't have a certain document."

Of those, about 77 percent would be eligible, he said. "It's touted as fraud prevention."

Whatever, we're moving to Hawaii. It was ranked #2, and it's got volcanoes!

You can look at an interactive map of the state rankings here.

"Vermont, Hawaii Top Health Care Scorecard" [ABC News]
"State Scorecard 2009" [Commonwealth Fund]

A few years back I bought a Soyo 24" LCD monitor from OfficeMax after reading the stellar reviews it was getting — it was a quality panel at a very affordable price. Well the first one I received had problems so I had to take it back to get another monitor. This one too was plagued with problems. I should have probably known better right then and just kept my money but I decided to try a third time and finally I got a perfect monitor. I got the MaxAssurance Insurance plan on the monitor with hopes that I'd never need to use it...

...fast forward a few years and the monitor started having major problems. Vertical lines and a flicker that was more-or-less constant. I contacted MaxAssurance who promptly sent me a label to return the monitor with. Since OfficeMax couldn't fix the monitor or because they didn't carry the specific model anymore, they refunded my full purchase amount ($319.93) in the form of a MaxAssurance card which works like an OfficeMax gift card. I was surprised with how fast all of this happened and was quite pleased...

...until I actually tried to redeem the card for actual merchandise.

I've had this gift card for over six months now. Or should I say multiple gift cards from OfficeMax for over six months now. Let me explain.

After I received the card I looked on their website and didn't see a monitor that could replace my 24" screen so I found something else to buy with it. I purchased a laptop using the MaxAssurance gift card. About a week later I get an e-mail saying that the laptop isn't available for purchase anymore. Hmmm, that's strange. No biggie I thought, stuff happens, so I called up OfficeMax who then issued me a new gift card. I asked if they could refund to the MaxAssurance card to which they told me no, that they'd have to issue a new gift card.

TWO WEEKS LATER, I get a new OfficeMax gift card in the mail. I check the amount on it and see that it's the right amount. I keep it on my desk a while until I see something that catches my eye on OfficeMax.com - a computer this time. I go through the checkout process and purchase the computer (which was IN STOCK, like the laptop was). I get no e-mail from OfficeMax this time so I figure it went through and I'd be getting in the computer in a few weeks. A week later, I still have not heard anything so I login to my OM account and check my orders.

This time, it says that the computer has been "discontinued" and that it would not be shipped out. Gee, thanks OfficeMax for letting me know. I check the Gift Card balance — which was $0.00 — and immediately called up OM and talked about the situation. Once again they couldn't refund the money to the card and said that I'd have to wait for a new card to be re-issued to me.

TWO WEEKS LATER, I get yet another OfficeMax gift card in the mail. About a month goes by before I see anything else that interests me. This time it's a computer again.

Any guesses what happened?

Is it:

A.) The order went through and I'm typing on the new computer right now!

B.) OfficeMax gave me TWO computers instead of one!

C.) The computer is DISCONTINUED and OfficeMax didn't alert me via e-mail and now I'll likely spend another two weeks waiting for another gift card to arrive so that I can play the OfficeMax LOTTERY yet again!

If you said anything BUT C.) may the Flying Spaghetti Monster have mercy on your soul.

OfficeMax.. if you are reading this.. PLEASE LET ME USE MY GIFT CARD!

As if you needed yet another reason not to purchase extended warranty and insurance plans with electronics purchases.

Does anyone have some advice for Dave to get OfficeMax to pay up?

"Slash Your Insurance Costs" [Kiplinger]

For instance, because I have health insurance through my employer (thanks, Consumers Union!):

Most likely, your coverage will remain very much the same. But if you don't like the coverage you have now, you'll have some new insurance choices.

Consumers Union created some fictional families to help you understand how the reform proposals affect different types of families:

• Perhaps (like a lot of people), you have good coverage through your job.
• Perhaps you have coverage through your job, but it is not so good. Rising costs may have forced your employer to cut back on the generosity of the benefits.
• Or perhaps you have pretty good coverage now but you are not sure how long it will last. Many small employers struggle with whether or not they will be able to afford coverage at all in the future.
• Some workers would like to "strike out on their own" and start their own business if only they could be sure that they will be able to continue good health coverage for their families.

Check it out here.
(Photo: Steve O.)

Lose The Weight And Keep It Off: Mission Impossible? [Newsweek]
Midlands Man's Weight Loss Inspires Others [WLTX]
344pounds [Tyler's blog]

Note what factors don't seem to have an effect on whether MRSA turned up in random spot checks at homes:

When they tried to figure out what might make it more likely to have the bacteria at home, they ruled out many supposed risk factors, including working out at a gym, having children who attended day care, having a recent infection or recent antibiotic use, and even working in a health care facility.

The one variable that overwhelmingly predicted the presence of the germ was the presence of a cat. Cat owners were eight times more likely than others to have MRSA at home.

To be fair to cats, it looks like humans pass the MRSA over, sort of like growing it on a pet-shaped garden. For example, check out how this man's dalmation became a four-legged MRSA dispenser through no fault of his own.

Dr. Oehler recounted the case of a diabetic man with recurrent MRSA skin infections that were eventually traced to his dog, a Dalmatian who carried the bacteria but was not ill.

"He would sleep with the couple in the bed and lick them in the face," said Dr. Farrin A. Manian, chief of infectious diseases at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis.

Dr. Manian believes the dog was infected by its owner, but then served as a reservoir for the bacteria, reinfecting his patient.

Run away! Wrap everything in Saran Wrap!

All scaremongering aside, the risk of catching MRSA from your pet is incredibly low, so don't go euthanizing anything just yet. Instead, just start washing your hands.

J. Scott Weese, a veterinary internist and microbiologist at the University of Guelph in Ontario, believes MRSA infections transmitted between people and animals are relatively rare.

His tests of randomly selected dogs, for example, have shown that at any given time only 2 to 3 percent carry MRSA on their fur or skin or in their saliva. And even if a pet becomes colonized, meaning that the bacteria take up residence and reproduce, veterinarians say most healthy animals should be rid of it in a matter of weeks.

For protection, Dr. Oehler recommends hand washing or using hand gels before and after playing with a pet, not letting a pet lick people around the face, and not washing pet food or water bowls in the same sink that food is prepared.

People should also wear gloves when attending to pets that have open wounds, he said, and should keep any of their own broken skin bandaged.

"Tie to Pets Has Germ Jumping to and Fro" [New York Times]
(Photo: KaCey97007)

Pollan says:

But so far, food system reform has not figured in the national conversation about health care reform. And so the government is poised to go on encouraging America's fast-food diet with its farm policies even as it takes on added responsibilities for covering the medical costs of that diet. To put it more bluntly, the government is putting itself in the uncomfortable position of subsidizing both the costs of treating Type 2 diabetes and the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup.

Why the disconnect? Probably because reforming the food system is politically even more difficult than reforming the health care system. At least in the health care battle, the administration can count some powerful corporate interests on its side - like the large segment of the Fortune 500 that has concluded the current system is unsustainable.

That is hardly the case when it comes to challenging agribusiness. Cheap food is going to be popular as long as the social and environmental costs of that food are charged to the future. There's lots of money to be made selling fast food and then treating the diseases that fast food causes. One of the leading products of the American food industry has become patients for the American health care industry.

He goes on to suggest ways that health care reform might align the insurance companies priorities with those of public health crusaders. Pollan says that each case of Type II diabetes prevented could save the insurers $400,000 — if they couldn't just rely on purging their rolls to keep costs down.

What do you think? Does Pollan make his case?

Big Food vs. Big Insurance [NYT]
(Photo:Scott Ableman)

The first wave of the practice of "medical tourism"—going elsewhere for cheaper procedures—was focused on foreign travel. We've previously talked about getting your boobs done in Buenos Aires and getting a new crown in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and earlier this summer we noted that Mexico City has gone so far as to offer free health insurance to foreign visitors.

Last year, notes Business Insurance, the supermarket chain Hannaford Bros. Co. got in on the trend in a big way when it announced "that it would begin sending its employees to Singapore for knee and hip replacements to save the company money." Hannaford is located in Maine, and the announcement prompted several hospitals in Boston to say they would match the price of the Singapore hospitals. Ta-dah! Domestic medical tourism.

Unlike foreign medical tourism, patients don't leave the country. Instead, they travel to another city within the United States to have procedures for up to 75% less than they would pay if they were treated closer to home.

One of the primary reasons some U.S. medical facilities are willing to be paid less is that they are generally compensated upfront, before the procedures are conducted, which enables them to avoid the arduous task of seeking reimbursement afterward from insurers and third-party administrators. The facilities also receive a single package price that is negotiated beforehand.

"In many cases, if you're self-funded or a cash patient, a hospital is more willing to deal directly with you rather than work through (preferred provider organizations) or insurance companies," explained Alex Sanchez, managing director of Healthcare Concierge Services, a subsidiary of Miami-based Olympus Managed Health Care Inc.

"Employers consider short-haul medical tourism" [Business Insurance via retailwire]
(Photo: √oхέƒx™)

Her reasoning: It's cheap — Palmer says her insurance in Washington, D.C. (by no means a region free of criminal activity), costs about $100 a year — comprehensive and necessary because renters are more at risk of being robbed. She cites Bureau of Justice Statistic figures that say renters are 50 percent more likely to be burglarized.

She writes:

Most college-age adults, however, don't bother to get renters insurance. According to a new study from Allstate Insurance, two in three say they have no insurance protection whatsoever. At the same time, about half said their belongings are worth more than $10,000 and the vast majority said that they could only afford to replace some of those items if they had to.

Of course, this only goes for those who own stuff worth stealing, as well as those who don't secretly wish many of the things they own would be stolen or break so they'd have an excuse to buy newer, better stuff.

Whether or not you go the insurance route, it's a good idea to catalog the valuable stuff you own. A video sweep with a camera will do the trick, and you can also go an extra mile and make a spreadsheet with serial numbers of your electronic devices. These things have a way of turning up at pawn shops.

Why Renters Insurance Is Worth Its (Low) Cost [U.S. News & World Report]
(Photo: jaycoxfilm)

It makes sense, to a point: you don't want your dog or cat to starve to death in your absence, and if most of your friends are likely going to be gone as well, why not ask the unrepentant and damned to do it? At the very least, they'd probably let the pets run free in the event of some sort of crazy monsters-roaming-the-earth post-apocalyptic "The Mist" scenario.

"What I believe is inconsequential," says [founder] Bart. "That has not stopped the people who have contracted with me. They believe I am wrong but they also believe I will execute the contract." As Bart admits, his customers could number in the single digits. In fact, the vast majority of the people who contact him are either atheists who want to get in on the action, or very angry Christians who feel that EEP is an affront to them.

But not all potential customers are howling mad: Hank and Susie Carter are empty-nesters who live in Atlanta and they believe in the rapture.

[...]

Hank and Susie are more amused than anything at the business idea.

"I find it humorous that this fellow doesn't share the belief is trying to turn a profit from people who do believe," says Hank. Adds Susie: "They are smart business people, trying to make a buck. God bless them."

"All Dogs Don't Go to Heaven: Post-Rapture Pet Care" [Mainstreet]
(Photo: Mai Le)

"Take Advantage of These Stimulus Breaks Soon" [Kiplinger]
(Photo: miss karen)

That's unlikely to happen this time—instead, the FDIC plans to keep a closer eye on currently troubled banks, and potentially raise insurance premiums in the future.

FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair said this week that bank failures will remain elevated as banks go through the painful process of recognizing loan losses and cleaning up balance sheets.

The total of 84 failures this year marks a sharp rise over the 25 last year, and the three failures in all of 2007.

She noted that the banking industry's performance is a lagging indicator and will continue to suffer even as the economy begins to improve.

They're keeping a more careful eye on new banks, too, changing capitalization requirements in order to prevent more failures.

U.S. bank failure tally rises to 84 for 2009 [Reuters]
Analysts Predict FDIC Will Charge Additional Fees to Prop Up Insurance Fund [American Banking News]
FDIC to Increase Scrutiny of New Banks [Wall Street Journal]

(Photo: Ryan McFarland)

Hello Consumerist,

Your post has created a great deal of traffic on our Consumer Information Site (CIS) and unfortunately the demand generated seems to have crashed our system, several times today. Please share our sincerest apologies to your readers and invite them to try again later if they are unable to get the data they seek.

In addition we can address some of the comments:

Extremely large or small complaint ratios can occur for a number of reasons, all very technical, all very boring. However, the CIS does include actual complaint counts along with reports on complaint codes which provide information about complaints by type. The CIS also provides financial and licensing information about the company, and allows users to check ratios for any state.

In addition: If you are an insurance consumer and have a complaint, please contact your state insurance department (www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm) and file it.

Complaints can also be filed through CIS (when the system is working). The complaint filing process provides important information to state regulators. They may be able to assist you directly and use the information to determine whether further market conduct examination is warranted.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reminds all consumers to shop around and contact their state insurance departments to be sure that they are dealing with licensed carriers and producers.

For insurance tips and information we invite consumers to check out: insureUonline.org.

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"Find Out How Much Your Insurer Sucks"
(Photo: gumuz)

Billy Rogers of Dallas says he struggled for months last year to get Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield to process bills of around $1,350 from doctor visits. The holdup came because the company was investigating whether Mr. Rogers fully disclosed his medical condition when he bought his policy, he says. The 47-year-old political consultant says he was healthy, though one check after he was insured showed somewhat elevated blood sugar that he says quickly dropped in later tests.

Fed up, Mr. Rogers fired off an email with the subject line "Horrible Anthem Coverage." It went to Chief Executive Angela Braly and a public-relations official at Anthem parent WellPoint Inc. He also sent it to several reporters and documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. Within hours, Mr. Rogers says, he got an email from the WellPoint spokesman, and days later the claim went through. The tactic "sends a signal that you're not going to give up on this," says Mr. Rogers. "I was really, really angry."

Want to send an EECB to a health insurance company? First, have a valid claim. Then, document the heck out of your issue and come up with really good reasons to support your argument. Then exhaust normal customer service options. Once those fail, it's time to send an EECB using these tips.

Taking Gripes Over Insurance to the Top Brass [WSJ](Thanks to Alexa!)

As exhibit A, the segment focuses on Robin Beaton, a woman diagnosed with invasive breast cancer whose insurance was rescinded after Blue Cross Blue Shield misinterpreted an old acne diagnosis of Beaton's as pre-cancerous.

You can listen to or download the segment online for free here. It is excellent.

Ira Glass looks at the fine print in health insurance [PRI]

"Our results reflect stabilization in certain of our businesses," said Edward M. Liddy, the chairman and chief executive installed by the government during A.I.G.'s rescue last fall.

Liddy said that the company's insurance business "remains challenged," due to, you know, people totally hating them. He described our disdain for the company as "the lingering effect of negative A.I.G. events earlier in the year."

A.I.G. Reports Profit, Saying Business Is Stabilizing [NYT]
(Photo:eflon)

WSJ reports:

Michael Gurion, an Atlanta attorney, says he didn't object when an optometrist collected around $70 from him during a visit a few years ago for an exam and contact lenses. But months later, when he looked at his insurer's explanation of benefits, he discovered he'd only owed about $25. He called the optometrist's office and was told the difference was being kept by the practice as a credit toward future visits.

If you do end up paying in full before leaving, watch for the insurer's explanation of benefits in the mail. If it's less than what you paid, ask for a refund.

Beyond Co-Pay: Surprise Bills at the Doctor's [WSJ]

Here are just a couple of examples from the HD Guru report:

Sales Pitch: Their Geek Squad Black Tie Protection pamphlet says that if your product requires 4 repairs, "we'll make sure that you get a new one."
Truth: Contract says "new" can mean refurbished or rebuilt, at Best Buy's discretion.

Sales Pitch: Pamphlet says on TVs 30" and up, you'll get a loaner if they can't fix yours on the first visit.
Truth: There's no mention of a loaner TV anywhere in the contract, so you'd better hope your Best Buy honors pamphlets.

Sales Pitch: If they can't repair your TV, they'll replace it with a product of equal value, or reimburse you fair market value for it.
Truth: "Fair market" means what they determine it's worth at the time of the repair. As an example, HD Guru points out that this past April Best Buy recalled a house brand LCD HDTV that sold for "up to $1000" and was less than 3 years old. The fair market value compensation it gave out: "gift cards amounting to $500 or about half of the original purchase price."

Click over and read the full report for more details on the truth versus fiction of Best Buy's warranty programs, and to read the company's official response to HD Guru's questions.

"Extended Warranties: What You See Is Often Not What You Get - An HD GURU Investigative Report" [HD Guru]
(Photo: Robert Scoble)

Of course, what that course of action saves you on medical bills you'll end up losing on funeral costs. So it's probably best to steer away from video game medical care professionals and just heed these tips from Panama City, Fla. ABC affiliate to ease health care bills.

My favorite of the bunch is No. 5, pill splitting:

Richard Moss, Diretor of Pharmacy Services at Bay Medical Center, says you should "have your physician write you a prescription for a tablet that's twice as strong that you can cut in half. You can pay a little bit more to get the more concentrated tablet and stretch it out by splitting it in half."

Oddly enough, the price of a pill is the same whether it's 5, 10, or 20 mg.

The tough part is some doctors aren't willing to pull one over on pharmaceutical companies due to cozy relationships. Say what you will about Dr. Mario, but he never accepts free golf trips from Pfizer.

Money Matters: Saving on Medical Care [WMBB News 13]
(Photo: blue_j)

I went to my local Game Crazy today (7/12) in Redmond, WA to get in on their Dead Space sale, which is valid from 7/6 to 7/12. I bought 2 copies of the PS3 version: one new for myself, and one used for my friend. Of course, the only last new copy is gutted (opened, but sold as new), and while I hate gutted games and the practice in general, I figure the game was cheap enough for me to let it slide this time.

Unfortunately, it all goes downhill from there.

I look at my receipt, and there are two additional $1.00 and $2.00 charges to me. I ask the cashier what the charge was for, and HE CLAIMED that the game was actually $25 and he gave me a $2 discount and a $3 free insurance on both games. I say, "umm, no. That's not right." I told him the sticker on the new game itself says $19.99, and that's what their ad says. Defensively, he repeatedly claims that his screen showed $25.

I ask him to show me the screen. He refuses of course, only replying now, "Ok what do you want? A refund?" No, I want to see the screen. But he never shows me and so I just tell him to give me a refund.

Now it gets worse. I must've spent at least 15 minutes standing there, while he "attempted" to refund the game back to my credit card. It's not that hard. He mysteriously prints out SEVERAL (must've been 7 or 8) receipts saying he was doing it wrong. I did check the receipts out, and it did look like he kept refunded it to me as store credit instead of on my card. But I am still concerned, as that's a LOT of transactions. I have the "final" return receipt with me, and I'm prepared to make a call to my credit card company later this month.

When I see the receipt, it says "$22.99" which is exactly $19.99 + the $3.00 BS insurance fee that he charged me earlier. I guess all that typing and re-trying on the computer must've been him attempting to adjust the price on the game.

Yes, I know it's stupid to get mad about two [three? -Ed.] dollars. But it's not really about two dollars any more. It's about the RIDICULOUS customer service that game specialty stores have. I'm already not a fan of Gamestop (to say the least), but I thought Game Crazy was "ok." I guess not. Given the option of not buying the game versus supporting an illegimate practice... I'll live without the game.

To the Consumerist: I would love to get ANY help or advice on getting in contact with the store's manager or district manager. I looked on the Game Crazy site, but there's only a single customer service line and I'm not sure that's going to be worth my time. Is there any other way of obtaining their contact information?

We suggested Lu try our advice in the post "Be A Customer Service Ninja," but if anyone out there has some real Game Crazy contact info, please post it.

That's how I imagine the meeting went where AIG decided to award more bonuses to executives next week.

You may recall that their previous round of bonuses were wildly unpopular with the public. This next round are actually bonuses delayed from 2008, seeing how 2008 was such a banner year for AIG.

In November, AIG's top seven executives, including Chairman Edward M. Liddy, agreed to forgo their bonuses through 2009. Then, in March, facing pressure from Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and other government officials, the company restructured its corporate bonus plans for the remaining top 50 executives. As part of this agreement, the senior executives were to receive half their 2008 bonuses — which totaled $9.6 million — in the spring, with another quarter disbursed on July 15 and the rest on Sept. 15. The last two payments would depend on whether the company made progress in revamping its business and paying back bailout money to taxpayers.

AIG plans to run the bonuses by Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama administration's compensation czar. Even though they don't technically need to. Maybe they're afraid of more taxpayers with torches if they don't.

AIG Seeks Clearance For More Bonuses [Washington Post]

(Photo: me and the sysop)

I recently bought an expensive bike lock because the package clearly indicates that the bike lock offers "protection of up to $1501 for bicycles" (see attached pic). The salesperson assured me that this was a legitimate offer and that if I had my bike stolen, all I had to do was make a claim, and would be compensated in full. I bought the lock despite being skeptical of the theft protection guarantee. After getting home, I went to the lock's website to register the lock, and found these restrictions:

1. To make a claim, you must have original bike lock receipt
2. "This limited anti-theft program offer is not to be construed as insurance."
3. It is void in New York
4. You must mail in a registration form to Todson, and mail it in within 15 days of purchasing the lock.
5. The coverage is void if the accompanying chain was cut (only the U lock)
6. A receipt of the stolen bike ("or if your sales receipt is not available, a signed and dated appraisal of your motorsport vehicle/bicycle by a reputable authorized dealer on that dealer's business stationery." Which of course would have to be done within 15 days of buying the lock)
7. This coverage is not free, you must pay for it
8. The coverage is void if "Torches, battery operated tools or power tools were used to open the lock."
9. You must file a police report within 72 hours
10. Must notify Todson by certified mail within 7 days of the theft
11. Must send in your broken lock
12. "Todson reserves the right to deny claims that it cannot substantiate or that it deems to be false, misleading, or fraudulent."

Those are the restrictions in Brian's words, but that's how the program works. What's most curious is the pricing scheme:

If you qualify for the anti-theft program, you may purchase one (1) year of coverage for $1.00 (USD); two (2) years for $10.00 (USD);(3) years for $15.00 (USD).

Now, this post isn't to criticize the company for having the program in the first place, since it's interesting marketing, even if it's a bit of a hassle. The question is, how many of these limitations are disclosed on the back of the package? The "void in New York" thing, for example, would be nice to know. The front reads "Anti-Theft Protection Offer," emphasis mine. That implies that you have to pay for it.

Should Brian have checked the offer more closely before letting it affect his purchasing decision? Wouldn't it be cheaper and easier just to buy actual insurance on his bike?

Registration [OnGuardLock Blog]

My suitcase had been opened, my jewelry bag unzipped, and my fine jewelry (gold, diamonds, sapphires) had been hand picked out of the jewelry bag and the inexpensive jewelry (plastic, glass, metal) left strewn across my belongings inside my suitcase.

Delta doesn't take responsibility for the theft, because as they note in their rejection letter to her claim,

The tariff rules and the ticket contract covering your travel exclude responsibility for jewelry, cash, camera equipment, electronic equipment, or computer equipment contained in checked or unchecked baggage.

In other words, you're on your own when it comes to securing your valuables during air travel.

Our theft victim didn't specify in her letter, but we hope she also filed a police report as soon as she noticed the missing jewelry. In fact, here's some advice for traveling with jewelry.

• Don't.
• Always carry it with you in a carry-on bag or on your person. Never pack it in checked luggage. Even the most high-security airport can't prevent a determined thief from rifling through luggage.
• If you have a lot of expensive pieces, consider making sure your homeowner's insurance covers them while traveling. Or just get standalone jewelry insurance.
• Make sure you have appraisals or insurance evaluations.
• Photocopy the jewelry you're bringing with you, and leave a copy at home and pack a copy on your carry-on bag. This will help you quickly spot missing pieces.

The above list was compiled from tips from:
"Safety Tips When Traveling With Jewelry" [Gem Find]
"Four Tips for Traveling with Jewelry" [The Black Dress Traveler]
"Traveling with Jewelry" [Home Jewelry Business Success Tips]
(Photo: evixir)

Better to follow the ways of the Gekko from movie Wall Street and stick with the mentality that greed is good — aim to get the most coverage you can for as little as possible. A World of Money and Markets blog post provides 10 ways to out-greed your insurance agent, half of which we're fair-using here:

1. Get Several Auto Insurance Quotes and Compare

You will want to start out by getting several auto insurance quotes. You can easily get these in just a few minutes online. Once you have your quotes, then you can compare auto insurance policies and see which one really is the best deal for your needs.

2. Avoid Most Wanted Cars by Car Thieves

Every now and then you will see lists in the news that talk about the Top 10 Most Stolen Cars in America - or something like that. By not buying one of these cars, you can keep your auto insurance lower than what someone will experience who buys one of them. The auto insurance company has to dish out replacement money when one of these is stolen and you can be sure that they will try to recover some of their money in the premiums on the owners of those cars. While the cars may be nice - the costly premiums are not.

3. Have More Than One Policy with Same Insurance Company

You can usually get reduced rates when you have more than one policy with an insurer. So, if you have a homeowner's insurance policy with a particular company and have had it with them for some time, you want to ask them for an auto insurance quote. Be careful about transferring to different insurers too often, however, because by staying with an insurer over the years you can get another discount.

4. Keep a Good Driving Record

Keeping your car under control - and yourself - can bring rewards like decent auto insurance payments. Keep a clean record and it will help you enjoy the benefits each month.

5. Keep Your Credit Score High

Around 90% of auto insurers will look at your credit report in order to determine your costs. If you have not seen your credit report lately, you may want to get a free copy from the credit bureaus and look it over. Mistakes are often found on credit reports and it could cost you plenty. Besides, fixing a bad credit report may also enable you to get better interest rates on other things when you need them, too.

A drawback to having several agents running your credit score while competing to offer you low rates is all that action shows up on your credit report and may temporarily ding your score, depending on whether the company does a "hard" or "soft" pull on your credit. Car insurance companies should be doing "soft" (won't affect your score) pulls because they're not making a lending decision, but you never know, so its something to keep in mind if you're about to make a big purchase (like a house) in the next few months.

Previously: 10 Things Your Auto Insurer Won't Tell You.

10 Ways to Reduce Your Car Insurance and Save Money [World of Money and Markets]
List of Institutions that pull HARD credit inquiries when opening a NON-CREDIT account [Fat Wallet]
(Photo: stirwise)

Typically, insurance guaranty associations cover up to $300,000 in death benefits, up to $100,000 in cash-surrender values on whole and universal life policies and up to $100,000 in the present value of an annuity, said Peter Gallanis, president of the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations.

But that varies. California's guaranty association essentially imposes a deductible, saying it will pay the lesser of 80% of the failed insurer's contractual obligation or up to $250,000 in death benefits. It will also pay up to $100,000 in cash-surrender or withdrawal values.

New Jersey, on the other hand, provides up to $500,000 in coverage for death benefits and annuity payments, without the deductible. Arizona's guaranty association fits neatly into the industry standard — up to $300,000 in death benefits and $100,000 for annuities and cash value — but it doesn't pay for guaranteed investment contracts at all.

Generally speaking, you would be covered by the guaranty association in the state where you reside. However, if you bought an insurance policy through a company pension plan — as some people buy guaranteed investment contracts through a 401(k) — you could be covered by the association in the state where the plan is domiciled, Gallanis said.

Check out the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations for a full listing of all state protections.

National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations
How to check your life insurer's health [The Los Angeles Times]
(Photo: JasonRogersFooDogGiraff eBee)

1. A Budget: Yeah yeah, you've already read one of our numerous guides and written a budget, but a baby requires a wholesale re-write. Figure out how you're going to pay for day-to-day necessities like diapers, while starting to save for long-term budget-busters like college.

2. Life and Disability Insurance: If something happens, you're not going to be the only one to suffer. Take out life insurance worth four to eight times your annual salary, and consider disability insurance that can covers your whole salary in case of an accident.

3. Health Insurance: Make sure you have health insurance and don't forget to add your new child to your policy! Check your spouse's policy and see whose will best accommodate your new baby. Without insurance, delivering a baby can cost more than a semester at college.

4. A Will: Even if you have life, disability, and health insurance, you're still going to die. Hopefully it won't happen anytime soon, but if it does, you don't want a court deciding who's going to raise your kid. Hire a lawyer and name a guardian to raise your kids and manage your estate.

Crib? Check. Toys? Check. Don't Forget a Budget, A Will and Insurance. [Kiplinger]
(Photo: darabidduckie)

My mom would like his advice.

More than 100 million Americans have plans that allow them to see doctors who are not part of their insurance network. For more than a decade, insurers submitted data to Ingenix to determine the typical cost for care received outside their networks.

But congressional investigators say companies would deliberately skew data to underestimate the costs of medical services, leaving patients to pay more in out-of-pocket expenses.

[...]

In one case, Aetna allegedly eliminated the highest 20 percent of medical charges before sending the data to Ingenix, according to expert court testimony cited by congressional investigators. Once the data was handed over to Ingenix, officials there "scrubbed" the numbers again to further curb charges, according to the testimony.

Ingenix is owned by UnitedHealth Group, which the Associated Press says has admitted no wrongdoing but has agreed to close the database and fund a new one.

"Senator: Use of faulty insurance data 'pervasive'" [Associated Press]
(Photo: Subconsci Productions)

Last week he wrote:

Okay, so I just moved across the country, and in the process, decided to ship a few things to myself via UPS. After doing some quick investigation, I found out that the only way to properly insure your stuff is to pay to have it packed at a UPS Store. Okay, no problem - there was one pretty close to my old place, and it would still be cheaper than paying a moving company to babysit a couple boxes (not taking too much stuff with me). So I bring a couple boxes of clothes that I packed myself and a computer that I paid the UPS store to pack. I get the extra damage insurance and at the recommendation of one of the staff, I print out a price quote for how much the computer would cost to buy over again since I no longer have the receipt ($1700). Fast forward a couple days, and I get my stuff delivered at my new place on the other side of the country. Only problem is the computer doesn't work. After looking at the packing materials, they didn't use any anti-static plastic, they just shoved it in the styrofoam chips. Oh boy, this is gonna be as fun as a trip to the dentist. So I call the UPS Store as per instructed to make a claim for damage. After some mixups on arranging to have a UPS driver come by and inspect the packaging, I'm finally told by UPS that the damage was caused by improper packing by the shipper (in this case, the UPS Store which is a franchise) and they can't discuss any of the claim details with me. After delaying a week or so, the UPS Store finally tells me that they won't be paying squat because the damage is "functional" instead of "physical", whatever the hell that means. The store manager even claims that she explained this difference to me when I originally called to inquire about shipping my things (she did no such thing according to my notes). She then tells me that the store owner will be handling things and gives me the contact info. So I call up the owner, and the guy tries to go all insuance company on me. Here's a partial transcript of the recording I made (yes, I decided to start recording calls):

Him: How do I know that the computer wasn't broken before?
Me: Well, normally what insuance companies normally do in situations like this is they check that what they're insuring is properly working before they insure it. Your staff at any time could have plugged the computer in and determined that it was working before they packed it. That's their failing, not mine.
Him: Well, my insurance coverage which you took the premium for, is saying that it's not covered. It didn't say that the package wasn't packaged incorrectly. There was no finding from UPS that we were responsible.
Me: That's not what I was told by UPS
Him: That's fine, if you'd like to proceed in other ways, then that's fine. But I'm not paying $1700
Me: So I just want to make sure I have the sequence of events right - I come in to your UPS store, pay your staff to pack
Him: You know what? You're talking to a lawyer, I don't need the sequence of events explained to me If you want to proceed through a small claims or some other avenue, then that's up to you.

So he essentially lawyers up and tells me to take him to court. Nice, huh? Oh, he DID offer to return my shipping and insurance costs (less than 10% of the cost of the computer they broke). Since UPS and the UPS Store are 2 different companies, UPS isn't doing anything. UPS Store corporate HQ is a little puzzled by this - they've told me that I paid the franchise to pack and ship it, computer died because they messed up, they should be paying. They're doing an internal thing and some district rep is going to be calling me. Fingers crossed.

We asked him for an update, and the news wasn't fabulous:

Well, the regional guy hasn't been in touch with me yet, but I did get another email from the UPS Store manager. She informed me that they won't pay the claim because policy dictates that they need original purchase receipts. This is different than what I was told when I shipped the computer. I didn't know how much to insure it for because I didn't know how much it was worth anymore, and I was told at the time that wasn't a problem and I should just get a price quote from Dell.com. So I borrowed their in-store computer, spec-ed out a similar system, printed out the cost summary and insured it for the purchase amount. The manager stapled the quote to her copy of the shipping receipt.

Oh, and I was cc'ed in on a response email from someone at the UPS Store corporate HQ who said that the manager's claim of needing original receipts was bogus because they had paid out claims before without them.

Sounds as though he's making slow, steady progress in prying the $1,700 from UPS's cold talons. But something tells me they're messing with the wrong SpaceMonkey.

(Photo: catastrophegirl)