The end of the year brings an increase in vehicle sales

The demand in the American automobile marketplace has risen at a higher rate than was forecasted, as automakers are now aimed at the best yearly performance that it has seen since 2008, having sold 12.8 million vehicles in 2011. At the start of December, consumers have finally started making their way back to vehicle shopping and are seeking models that range from luxury sedans and large pickup trucks to the trendy low fuel consumption hybrids. This has helped to boost the sales in November to the fastest monthly rate since…

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2011 breaks record for most federal disaster declarations in nation’s history

This year has broken the record for federal disaster declarations according to the Insurance Information Institute, and the year is not over yet. While 2010 may have set a new record for the number of declared disasters in the nation’s history, 2011 has shattered that record in both number and cost. With three months left in the already infamous 2011, analysts are concerned that more natural disasters could be on the way as a final farewell to the year. With two consecutive years of costly catastrophes, many wonder what is…

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Insurance group spends more than $300,000 lobbying the federal government

The American Insurance Association spent more than $300,000 in lobbying the federal government during the second quarter of this year. Much of the lobbying effort was focused on disaster insurance and regulatory reform. The insurance organization has been pressuring legislators to pass laws that would make insurance more accessible to those in disaster prone areas. The money spent during the second quarter was not only spent to lobby the House and Senate, it also went toward lobbying efforts targeted at the Department of Treasury and Federal Reserve System. The association…

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Americans are only at the beginning of weather related expenses

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of study that indicated that a sizeable percentage of consumers who are in weather disaster-prone regions do not have adequate home insurance coverage. The United States may be the richest country in the world, but severe weather can still threaten its people and businesses. There are two primary socio-economic issues that impact the amount of economic loss that results from this type of catastrophe. They are: value at risk and population exposure. The 2011 U.S. National Homeowners Insurance Study showed that even…

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Disability Insurance: U.S. workers underinsured

A recent survey performed by The Hartford insurance company showed that over 50 percent of US workers are without disability coverage and the percentage continues to climb.  The research suggested that only 44 percent of U.S. workers have a form of long-term disability coverage, while 49 percent have short-term disability coverage.  When compared to 2010 the percentage for long-term disability insurance dropped by 3 percent and short-term disability insurance fell by 6 percent.  Executive vice president, Ron Gendreau for the Group Benefits at The Hartford said that “We are concerned…

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