Joseph says Allstate is sticking him for more than $100 in unwarranted charges because he was so bold as to switch his policy over to a new car. He says none of his arguments have convinced the company to correct the charges and the bill has gone to collections. [More]
insurance
Roofing Company Caves, Leaving Homeowners Out Thousands
By 8.25.10
The takeaway from this story about a roofing company that went under, taking people’s deposits with it, is to never pay for a job in full and up front. If the company stipulates this, the BBB says it’s a big red flag. [More]
Penis Pump Medicare Billing Fraud Scheme Deflated
By 8.25.10
Several Miami businessman were indicted for fraudulently billing Medicare for penis pumps. In one instance, the company billed Medicare for four different penis pumps for one female patient. “That,” said a Medicare spokesman, “we should have caught.” [More]
Does Your Pet Need Health Insurance?
By 8.20.10
Most pet owners grumble at vet bills, and wonder whether health insurance for their pets would be cost-effective. Consumer Reports Money Adviser crunched numbers for a hypothetical dog from puppyhood to euthanasia, and concluded that pet health insurance is a sound investment…if your pet has a serious or chronic health condition. Wait, that’s just like health insurance for humans. [More]
Don't Confuse Medical Discount Plans With Health Insurance
By 8.17.10
If you don’t have health insurance, you might hear about a medical discount plan and think that it’s an affordable alternative, but be careful. Some of the plans being sold don’t lower your health care costs at all, and in some cases can even increase them. That’s why the the FTC and 24 states have recently filed a total of 54 lawsuits against companies selling medical discount plans to people who don’t have health insurance. [More]
To Build More Muscle, Pump Lighter Iron
By 8.12.10
Lots of people use free weights and weight machines as part of staying fit and trying to build muscle, but a new study finds that contrary to popular belief, it’s not really the heaviness of the weights that build the most muscle. Rather, you can build more muscle mass by using something much lighter but just keep lifting until you reach fatigue and can’t lift it anymore. [More]
Cancer Patient Loses Coverage For Earning $4.25/Month Too Much
By 8.9.10
Over at the Phoenix New Times, they have the harrowing story of a young man who endured multiple surgeries and treatments for a rare type of brain tumor — and who was told by his health plan that they could no longer cover him because he and his wife had earned $4.25 too much to qualify for aid. [More]
How To Avoid An Emergency Room Bill That Sends You Back To The E.R.
By 8.9.10
Emergency room bills bring a special sort of sticker shock, because they don’t usually show up until weeks later, and then come packed with all sorts of over-inflated fees and add-ons. The New York Times calls them “notoriously high and perplexing,” and although it’s unlikely you’ll ever end up paying the full amount listed on the bill, there are strategies you can use to bring that initial figure down. [More]
Marital Trouble? Consider Divorce Insurance!
By 8.7.10
You already have home insurance, car insurance, life insurance, and maybe even health insurance—why not insure your marriage, too? For around $16 per month, a North Carolina company called SafeGuard sells “units of protection” that could be worth $1,250 if your marriage implodes in divorce. The company claims that it wants to help defray the costs associated with legal fees and finding a new home, but the insurance, called WedLock, comes with plenty of catches. [More]
How Often Is Your Car Model Stolen?
By 8.3.10
The Highway Loss Data Institute keeps track of insurance claims for stolen cars, and it’s just released a list of the highest and lowest insurance claims for auto theft for 2007-09 models. The winner is the Cadillac Escalade luxury SUV, followed by the Ford F-250 pickup–both of these vehicles have a relatively high claim frequency and high average loss payment per claim of $9,600-$11,000. On the other end, the Mini Cooper and Toyota Sienna 4WD are infrequently stolen and have average loss payments of around $2,000. [More]
Western Dental Upsells Relentlessly, Then Pulls Dirty Trick With Billing
By 7.26.10
Ryan recently went to a clinic operated by Western Dental Centers, a franchise that operates in California, Arizona and Nevada, and now he regrets that decision. He writes that first he was forced to endure $800 worth of upsells while he was stuck in the chair, even though he was just going in for a cleaning. What happened with billing, though, was worse and may lead to lasting credit issues. [More]
Um, Why Did My Frigidaire Microwave Randomly Catch Fire?
By 7.24.10
Though not advertised as a feature, Matt recently learned that if you turn off a Frigidaire microwave and leave the house, it might spontaneously combust. A service tech blamed a short-circuiting switch for the blaze, which thankfully didn’t cause any serious property damage. [More]
Progressive Direct "Glitch" Hikes Premium From $800 to $2,000
By 7.14.10
Kevin received a surprise when he checked the renewal notice for his car insurance recently. A 260 percent surprise, in fact, even though he’s not a bad driver and hadn’t been in any accidents. [More]
Wedsafe.Com Insures You Against Wedding Disasters
By 7.14.10
Putting on a wedding is a lot like putting on a show. A very expensive stressful show that’s for one night only. [More]
Prepaid Funeral Trust Money Used For Conventions And Lobbying, Say Auditors
By 7.12.10
We’ve said repeatedly that prepaid funeral plans are bunk–the industry is too unregulated to be trustworthy, and it’s far too easy to lose money when you could just as easily set up a savings plan for a funeral on your own. Now there’s news from California that the state’s second-largest prepaid funeral trust was spending money “improperly” on everything from political lobbying to conventions, blowing $12.6 million from the $70 million paid in advance by customers. [More]
WellPoint/Anthem BCBS Decides Not To Be Completely Evil To California Policyholders
By 7.1.10
Nearly five months ago, Anthem Blue Cross of California and parent company WellPoint put their names in the running for Biggest Dickheads of 2010 by trying to raise rates upward of 39% for individual policyholders, a move that put the entire insurance industry under the legal and legislative microscope. In a move to seem like only a huge dickface, the insurance giant announced yesterday that it’s now proposing less grandiose rate increases. [More]
Should Travelocity's "TotalPrice" Guarantees Cover Mandatory Surcharges?
By 6.26.10
Aaron’s pissed because Travelocity’s quote for a one week car rental in Costa Rica didn’t include a mandatory insurance charge that cost him more than $100. Aaron feels cheated and wants Travelocity to pony up under their TotalPrice Guarantee, but Travelocity may not have done anything wrong. Join us across the jump to help us sort this out. [More]
Help! AFLAC's Recruiters Won't Stop Stalking Me
By 6.23.10
Elliot has a unique problem in this recession. He tells Consumerist that recruiters claiming to represent the insurance company AFLAC have been calling, emailing, and otherwise harassing him and other people he knows who are looking for work. He doesn’t want to work for AFLAC. How can he make them stop calling? [More]
