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Many homeowners don't know they're underinsured until it's too late
Homeowners seeking to rebuild their homes after a devastating disaster may be surprised to find themselves in another conundrum their home insurance doesnt cover enough to help them move on with their lives and rebuild their devastated house.
They are underinsured.
Researchers who looked into the underinsurance phenomenon found that most homeowners lack enough coverage to rebuild their house after a total loss. By exploring the plight of 4,859 policyholders from 24 insurers in Colorado, where the December 2021 Marshall Fire took down more than 1,000 homes and 30 commercial buildings, researchers found that underinsured homeowners were more likely to sell off their home than rebuild it.
Wildfires in Southern California have already claimed close to 16,000 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, affecting people across various income streams and backgrounds. And with construction costs creeping up, it is unclear what rebuilding will look like for residents.
Most people dont have the money in the bank to rebuild a house, said Mark Friedlander, corporate communications director for the Insurance Information Institute. It makes a tragedy even worse.
Friedlander reminds that most mortgage companies require homeowners to carry adequate insurance, and consumers cant intentionally buy less required coverage. But most homeowners Triple-I surveyed in 2023 also didnt anticipate having to experience a severe weather event.
According to the survey, 25% of homeowners didnt believe their residence would be impacted by climate risk, and 42 percent said they didnt believe theyd be impacted within the next five years. And only four in ten homeowners stated they completed some preventative measures on their homes, which could help mitigate damage and reduce cost.
Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, said the wildfires impact in Los Angeles will be massive, and while underinsurance is always a problem, she suspects it will only worsen in California.
The whole point of insurance is to make our communities whole in times of crisis. If the policies arent doing that and were still paying through the nose for them, then what are we paying for? she said. It will be really important for regulators and potentially lawmakers to step in and make insurance companies meet their obligations.
Making sure youre not underinsured
Sharon Cornelissen, housing director at Consumer Federation of America, said its getting more difficult to get insured and shop around for affordable insurance options in disaster prone areas as insurers pull out. And insurance prices can vary year by year.
Its good for everyone to reexamine their coverage every now and then, to ensure theyre still fully insured for both the replacement value of their home and their property within that, their possessions within the home, Cornelissen said. Both should be covered by their policies.
Cornelissen provided important tips for consumers who need to recheck or shop around for insurance policies:
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Ask what the policy excludes Some policies do not cover flooding, wind events, or fires, and consumers may need to look at supplementary policies to help fill the gap
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Understand the high deductibles While a higher deductible can mean a lower monthly payment, it has to fit the consumers budget and comfort so that it doesnt become a problem once an event occurs. Cornelissen also reminds that the value of the home is not linked to property value, but to replacement value which is how much it would cost to rebuild the house in the case of total destruction. She advises that consumers check if they are covered for the full replacement value of the house.
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Shop around for the insurance Even if a broker offers the best price on insurance, there may still be limitations. Compare prices and see if it is a good value for the protection you need.
For homeowners recovering from a disaster, Cornelissen also advises they take advantage of help from The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as they may qualify for additional help when they discover they are underinsured.
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The investigation centers on two fatal accidents involving the all-electric Mustang Mach-E
Federal safety regulators are stepping up their investigation of Ford's BlueCruise hands-free technology following two fatal crashes involvingall-electric MustangMach-E models.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it is moving the status of the probe to "engineering analysis," a step needed before it could order a recall. The analysis will cover 2021-24 model years, which is about 129,222 cars, according to NHTSA.
In its analysis, NHTSA will investigate Ford's system limitations and "evaluate drivers ability to respond to scenarios that exceed system limitations," NHTSA said in documents.
In total, 32 crashes and 2,004 non-crash reports on Ford vehicles were identified across manufacturer and ODI data sources, NHTSA said.
More than 70mph
In both fatal collisions,the Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicle was traveling over 70 miles per hour on a controlled-access highway during nighttime lighting conditions with hands-free BlueCruise engaged when it collided with a stationary vehicle.
Analysis of data imaged from the vehicles event data recorders demonstrates that in each incident, the driver did not apply the brakes or take evasive steering action, and no deceleration was initiated prior to impact.
Through the agencys crash analysis, four additional frontal collisions were identified where aFord equipped with BlueCruise impacted a stopped or slow-moving lead vehicle or another stationary object located in the travel lane.
Two of these four incidents involved BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles while the other two involved other Ford models.
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The airline says its trying to make things easier for travelers
Consumers will have a new way to pay for their upcoming JetBlue flights: Venmo.
The airline announced that customers will now be able to book their airline tickets using the popular banking app.
Were continually looking for ways to make it easier to book a JetBlue flight on our website and mobile app, said Carol Clements, chief digital and technology officer, JetBlue. Adding Venmo offers a seamless payment option for customers who enjoy the ease and convenience of the Venmo platform.
Travel is not just about the destination, but the people you go with and how you share the experience, said John Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of consumer, PayPal. The added ability to pay with Venmo for flights on JetBlue and manage travel costs during the trip through Groups helps solve the pain points of shared expenses from the time of booking to returning home.
How it works
JetBlue is the first airline to offer Venmo as a payment option to its customers.
The new payment feature is currently available for those booking through the JetBlue website, and the airline says that customers using the JetBlue mobile app will see the Venmo option in the coming months.
To pay for your next flight using Venmo, youll be prompted to log into your Venmo account once at checkout on JetBlues website. From there, youll have the option to pay using your Venmo balance, or any of the connected credit or debit cards or bank accounts linked to your Venmo account.
The airline has also said that Venmo payments on its website are secure, meaning consumers should feel confident their data is safe and secure on the platform.
Winning over consumers
The news of the new payment option may serve as an opportunity for JetBlue to work on winning over consumers.
Most recently, the airline was fined $2 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation for chronic flight delays, with half of that money going to JetBlue travelers. On top of that, the airline decided to cut a number of its flight routes in the new year in an effort to increase profitability.
On the heels of that news, the airline has now made an announcement that its hoping will make the checkout portion of traveling easier and more convenient.
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Chances of winning a "loot box" prize were exaggerated, FTC charged
of ConsumerAffairsThe maker of the video gameGenshin Impacthas agreed to pay $20 million and make changes to address allegations by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that the company violated childrens privacy laws and misled users about the costs of in-game purchases and the odds of winning rare prizes.
Genshin Impact deceived children, teens, and other players into spending hundreds of dollars on prizes they stood little chance of winning, said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. Companies that deploy these dark-pattern tactics will be held accountable if they deceive players, particularly kids and teens, about the true costs of in-game transactions.
Key Allegations
- Privacy Violations: The company collected personal data from children under 13 without parental consent, violating the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA).
- Misleading Purchases: Players, including children and teens, were misled about the cost and odds of obtaining rare five-star loot box prizes. The confusing virtual currency system made it hard to track spending.
- Unfair Marketing: Limited-time promotions and social media influencer campaigns created false impressions about the chances of winning rare items.
Proposed Settlement
- Parental Consent: Children under 16 will need parental approval for in-game purchases.
- Direct Purchases: Loot boxes must have a direct purchase option with real money.
- Transparency: The company must disclose loot box odds and virtual currency exchange rates.
- Privacy Compliance: Personal data collected from children under 13 must be deleted unless parental consent is obtained, and COPPA requirements must be followed.
The settlement awaits approval from a federal judge. The FTC emphasized that companies using deceptive tactics, especially those targeting children, will be held accountable.
Genshin Impact is produced by miHoYo Co., Ltd, a Shanghai-based, Chinese video game and development company
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The suit claims the company is marketing the products to minors
of ConsumerAffairsMinnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit against High Light Vapes, a Los Angeles-based e-cigarette manufacturer, charging it with marketing to minors. The lawsuit alleges violations of state laws prohibiting the marketing of tobacco products to children and consumer fraud.
Ellison has also launched an investigation into Loon, a Minnesota-based e-cigarette manufacturer, to determine potential violations of similar laws.
High Light Vapes is accused of designing and promoting its products to appeal to school-age children by mimicking highlighters. The complaint alleges the company marketed these e-cigarettes as a "stealthy" way to vape, highlighting their resemblance to actual highlighters.
The products come in various flavors such as strawberry cheesecake and sour apple, which are particularly attractive to young consumers. Ellison demonstrated the similarity between these vapes and real highlighters at a press conference, emphasizing the deceptive nature of their marketing strategy.
"My job as attorney general is to protect Minnesotans especially our children when corporations try to harm us to make a profit," Ellison stated. "I will not allow any corporation to illegally manufacture, market, and sell dangerous and addictive e-cigarette products to Minnesota youth."
Other states are taking similar actions
The legal actions are part of a broader effort by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general across the United States to combat the proliferation of flavored disposable e-cigarettes, which are often illegally imported from China. These products have seen a 1,500% increase in the U.S. market since 2020, despite federal regulations requiring FDA approval for new e-cigarettes.
The coalition of state leaders aims to hold companies accountable for unlawfully manufacturing, distributing, and marketing these products to young people.
Ellison's office has also served a civil investigative demand on Loon, requiring the company to provide documents and answer questions under oath. This investigation seeks to uncover any potential violations of Minnesota's consumer protection and deceptive vaping laws by Loon.
This lawsuit follows Minnesota's landmark settlement with Juul and Altria in 2023, where the companies agreed to pay $60.5 million over eight years for their role in marketing e-cigarettes to youth. The settlement funds are dedicated to preventing youth smoking and e-cigarette use, marking a significant public health achievement in the state's ongoing battle against tobacco use among minors.
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The Federal Trade Commission sued the "debt relief" company
of ConsumerAffairsThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending over $5 million in refunds to people who were affected by a deceptive credit card debt relief scam run by ACRO Services.
The company, which also used names like American Consumer Rights Organization and Tri Star Consumer Group, falsely promised to reduce or eliminate consumers' credit card debt in 12 to 18 months. They charged illegal upfront fees and monthly fees for services like credit monitoring.
The company and its owners have agreed to stop working in debt relief and telemarketing, and they gave up assets to help pay back affected consumers. A total of 7,687 people are receiving checks. These checks should be cashed within 90 days.
Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 877-753-2846, or visit the FTC website toview frequently asked questions about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.
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