What to Expect From Your Health Insurance in 2015

An annual survey estimates the increase in costs and cost-sharing next year.

By Kimberly Lankford, August 22, 2014

I get health insurance through my employer. What changes should I expect in my coverage for next year?
The National Business Group on Health’s survey of large employers usually provides the first glimpse of changes employers will be making to their health insurance plans for the coming year. The survey focuses on large employers, who tend to pay a bigger portion of the costs than small employers, but the same trends apply no matter where you get your insurance.

How Much It Costs to Boost Life Insurance Coverage

With term life insurance rates relatively low, it’s a good time to add coverage.

By Kimberly Lankford, September 16, 2014

I just moved for a new job and bought a new house, and I’d like to increase the amount of my life insurance. I have a $500,000 20-year term policy. How much would it cost to boost it to $1 million?
If you’re pretty young and healthy, it costs a lot less than you’d expect. A 30-year-old woman could pay as little as $214 per year for a $500,000 20-year term insurance policy and $354 for $1 million, says Byron Udell, CEO of AccuQuote.com. A healthy 30-year-old man would pay $244 for $500,000 and $421 for $1 million.

How Credit Scores Can Boost Home Insurance Premiums

Got so-so credit? You are likely paying more in premiums than people with excellent credit.

By Kimberly Lankford, September 5, 2014

I know that your credit score can affect your car insurance premiums. Can it also affect your homeowners insurance rates?
Yes, in most states your credit score can make a big difference in your home insurance rates. A recent study by InsuranceQuotes.com, a Bankrate company, found that homeowners with poor credit pay 91% more for home insurance than people with excellent credit. Even people with median credit pay 29% more than those with excellent credit. “Insurers have found a direct correlation between a consumer’s credit and the likelihood that he or she will make a home (or auto) claim,” says Laura Adams, senior insurance analyst for InsuranceQuotes.com. The study defined “excellent” credit as the top 10% of credit-based insurance scores.

How Car Theft Affects Your Insurance Rates

What types of vehicles are stolen the most? If I own a car on the list, will it affect my insurance rates?
The National Insurance Crime Bureau just came out with its “Hot Wheels” list of most-stolen cars in 2013. Honda Accords topped the list (with nearly 54,000 stolen in the U.S.), followed by the Honda Civic, Chevrolet Silverado pickup, Ford F-series pickup and Toyota Camry. Many of those cars are older models from the late 1990s and early 2000s, manufactured before new developments in anti-theft devices. The most-stolen car from the 2013 model year was the Nissan Altima (810 thefts), followed by the Ford Fusion, Ford F-series pickup and Toyota Corolla.