Earthquake insurance legislation introduced in Oklahoma

S.Vagus
Earthquake Insurance

New legislation may force insurers to honor claims associated with man-made quakes Earthquake insurance is becoming a major issue in Oklahoma. Lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would prevent insurers from denying claims for damage caused by man-made earthquakes. These disasters are becoming increasingly common due to hydraulic fracturing, also called “fracking.” This process is used to harvest natural gas from the earth and has been linked to seismic activity in the state. Lawmakers want to ensure that consumers are adequately protected from such disasters and that their insurance policies…

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Allstate home insurance is getting cheaper in California

Julie Campbell
allstate homeowners home insurance rates

The insurer and the state commissioner have agreed to reduce the rates for homeowners coverage. Dave Jones, the California Insurance Commissioner, has now come to an agreement with Allstate Insurance Company and Allstate Indemnity Insurance in order to decrease the rates being paid by home insurance customers in the state. In fact, the homeowners insurance rates for California Allstate customers will drop by an average of 12.6 percent. For Californians who have home insurance through Allstate, this decision represents a decrease of an average of $230, each. The reduction in…

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Google is pulling out of the insurance industry, for now

Nordstrom
google auto insurance industry

Google will be closing down its insurance comparison website within a month Google has announced that it will be shutting down its Google Compare insurance comparison site. This may be a reflection of Google’s intention of selling financial products, such as auto insurance coverage. Google Compare has been operating in the United Kingdom for three years and the company had planned to bring the service to the United States in the near future. The site allowed users to compare prices on auto insurance coverage, but the site was never to…

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Life and disability insurance companies penalize women with postpartum depression

Julie Campbell
pregnant mothers postpartum depression disability insurance

As mental illness gains more awareness and people seek diagnosis and treatment, drawbacks are appearing. This year kicked off with the recommendation from a government-appointed panel that all new moms and pregnant women receive depression screenings, and while this move toward mental health care improved, drawbacks are being experienced by life and disability insurance customers. The move to help women to obtain assistance for maternal mental illness is being applauded as a much-needed step. Public health advocates have been very pleased that pregnant women and new moms will be better…

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Driverless vehicles may be a threat to the auto insurance industry

S.Vagus
Driverless self-driving car Google auto insurance

Allstate predicts that autonomous cars will have an impact on the insurance industry Driverless vehicles may pose a potential threat to the auto insurance industry, according to Allstate. The company has filed its annual 2015 report, suggesting that autonomous cars could impact the industry in a significant manner. These vehicles are equipped with technology that take the human equation out of driving. Most car accidents are caused by human error, which makes the need for insurance coverage quite abundant. Allstate is concerned that autonomous vehicles will reduce the need for…

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