Joe Mapelli has been seeing red since a visit to the ophthalmologist. Mapelli, a retired teacher, thought his health insurance would cover everything but his $20 co-pay. So he assumed someone made a mistake when he received a bill for an additional $30.
The doctor’s office billed the insurance carrier $150 for a comprehensive eye exam […]

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Did you hear the one about the 85-year-old who was asked what plans he’d made for continuing his family business? He began by saying: “If I die …”
Optimism is one thing. But so is reality. At some point, death or disability affects every business. That’s why it’s important for business owners to think about the […]

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Institution Name

Location

Date Of Failure

Farmers & Merchants State Bank

Spencerville, In

10/8/1949

The Citizens Banking Company

Weston, Oh

6/11/1949

Stockmens Bank Of Martinsdale

Martinsdale, Mt

4/30/1949

The First National Bank Of Dyer

Dyer, In

2/19/1949

The First State Bank

Franklin, Tx

12/18/1948

The American National Bank Of Pryor Creek

Pryor, […]

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Institution

Location

Date Failed

American National Bank

Houston, Tx

10/12/1979

Livingston State Bank

Livingston, Nj

10/12/1979

Fidelity Bank

Utica, Ms

9/28/1979

The Farmers State Bank

Protection, Ks

9/21/1979

Gateway National Bank

Chicago, Il

7/14/1979

The Guaranty Bank & Trust Company

Chicago, Il

7/14/1979

Bank Of Enville

Enville, Tn

6/16/1979

Southern […]

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Consumers are worried about the shaky state of the nation’s financial service firms and its potential affect on their savings. BauerFinancial, a bank rating service, has been fielding thousands of inquiries a week.

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Rank

Date

Peril

Loss (millions)

2007 $

1
Aug. 2005
Hurricane Katrina
$41,100
$43,625

2
Aug. 1992
Hurricane Andrew
15,500
22,902

3
Sep. 2001
9-11 attacks
18,779
21,981

4
Jan. 1994
Northridge, CA earthquake
12,500
17,485

5
Oct. 2005
Hurricane Wilma
10,300
10,933

6
Aug. 2004
Hurricane Charley
7,475
8,203

7
Sep. 2004
Hurricane Ivan
7,110
7,803

8
Sep. 1989
Hurricane Hugo
4,195
7,013

9
Sep. 2005
Hurricane Rita
5,627
5,973

10
Sep. 2004
Hurricane Frances
4,595
5,043

(1) Property coverage only.
(2) Adjusted to 2007 dollars by the Insurance Information Institute.Source: ISO’s Property Claim Services Unit; Insurance Information Institute.

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Asa Aarons and Donna Banks, features editor at Reader’s Digest magazine, talked with Al Roker on The Today Show about five dubious deals. These offers don’t pay off for most consumers.

Travel discount clubs: You can probably find better offers on their own.
Cell phone replacement insurance: Unless you want to protect a high-end device-or are naturally […]

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Is anybody watching the road? Many teens ignore laws against cell phone use while driving. But they aren’t the only ones chatting it up in the car-and researchers say all that talk time is slowing traffic and lengthening your commute. If you’re wasting more time in traffic, you’re probably wasting gas. So isn’t that enough […]

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Is My Insurer Paying Me Correctly? When a burglar ransacked a New Jersey home, the owners were naturally upset. But they felt confident they would be reimbursed for their stolen jewelry. In addition to their homeowner’s policy, they had extra coverage for the diamond jewelry.
Most homeowner’s insurance companies sell something called Scheduled Articles Floaters for […]

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Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
Top Safety Pick 2008 award winners
Large cars
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus with optional electronic stability control
Mercury Sable with optional electronic stability control
Volvo S80
Midsize cars
Audi A3
Audi A4
Honda Accord 4-door models
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy with optional electronic stability control
Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volvo C70
Small car
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona
Midsize […]

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