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2 weeks ago | 
bankrate.com | Kathleen Howley |Jessa Claeys
Homeowners will soon be able to make monthly flood insurance payments without being charged an extra fee. The change is aimed at increasing the number of homes covered by flood policies. Policy participation has been declining in recent years even as more people move to flood-prone areas and natural disasters increase.
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2 weeks ago | 
bankrate.com | Kathleen Howley |Jessa Claeys
Homeowners can now make monthly flood insurance payments without being charged an extra fee. The change is aimed at increasing the number of homes covered by flood policies. Policy participation has been declining in recent years even as more people move to flood-prone areas and natural disasters increase.
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3 weeks ago | 
bankrate.com | Amelia Buckley |Jessa Claeys
Turning 26 isn’t a big milestone birthday like turning 18 or 21, but it did come with some personal — and financial — adjustments. I now bake all of my bread from scratch (18-year-old me would roll her eyes), and I relish being able to rent a car without extra fees. I also am no longer a youthful operator in the eyes of my auto insurance company, so I took a good hard look at my policy. Here are some key steps I took with my coverage after blowing out my candles this year. 1.
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1 month ago | 
bankrate.com | Natalie Todoroff |Jessa Claeys
When her car was vandalized and her wallet, sunglasses, cell phone and other items were stolen from the vehicle, Nichole Richardson figured her car insurance policy would cover it. However, after much back and forth with her insurer, she learned car insurance doesn’t apply to stolen property. “I was very surprised and shocked,” says Richardson, whose name was changed to protect her privacy.
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1 month ago | 
bankrate.com | Natasha Cornelius |Jessa Claeys
I live in the wonderful state of Minnesota, where spring is usually a welcome reprieve from icy roads and minus-30-degree wind chills. However, for those who have dealt with water in a basement — like myself — the arrival of spring can bring knots to your stomach. March and April typically come with heavy amounts of rainfall and an abundance of melting snow. If your home isn’t prepared, this can be disastrous. As a licensed agent and insurance editor, I know a bit more now than I used to.
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1 month ago | 
bankrate.com | Amelia Buckley |Jessa Claeys
Concerns of a potential government shutdown are top of mind this week as funding for federal agencies and programs is set to expire at midnight on Friday, March 14. A primary worry for insurance experts and homeowners is the looming expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which provides federally-backed flood insurance to 4.7 million Americans.
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2 months ago | 
bankrate.com | Kathleen Howley |Jessa Claeys
Wildfires in the U.S. Northeast pose a “major threat,” according to a Moody’s report. A record-setting drought turned Northeast woodlands into tinderboxes at the end of 2024, creating a spike in wildfires. If wildfires become more common in the region, higher risk will put upward pressure on insurance premiums.
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2 months ago | 
bankrate.com | Jessica Gibson |Jessa Claeys
Whether you’re shopping for a new vehicle or discussing car insurance myths, you might wonder if red cars are more expensive to insure. The short answer is no, red cars do not cost more to insure. Insurance rates are based on a multitude of factors — but the color of your vehicle isn’t one of them. Do red cars cost more to insure? As a red car owner, you may have heard that your vehicle’s color could lead to higher insurance premiums.
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Jan 23, 2025 | 
bankrate.com | Natalie Todoroff |Jessa Claeys
If reviewing your home insurance policy isn’t on your financial checklist, now might be a good time to add it. Although inflation has slowed, rebuilding costs increased from 2023 to 2024, according to a recent analysis from Verisk. Costs are expected to keep rising until at least April 2025. If you haven’t checked on your home insurance policy in a while, these higher prices could leave you in a financial bind if you need to file a claim.
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Nov 11, 2024 | 
bankrate.com | Natalie Todoroff |Jessa Claeys
Each minute in the U.S., an average of 24 people are physically abused or stalked by an intimate partner. That is more than 12 million people per year. Sometimes, leaving an abusive situation is only half of the battle — especially for those who live with their abuser. Survivors of domestic violence may struggle to secure housing once they are out on their own.
