Record-breaking distracted driving has created a great deal of alarm on the roadways, with more frequent and dangerous crashes – many of which are caused by cell phone use – becoming part of the norm in the U.S. While the coronavirus pandemic upended traffic patterns, these trends have continued long past the height of the health crisis and pose a significant risk to both the wellbeing of drivers and the viability of personal auto lines. Progress is needed, and telematics may be a necessary facet in improving the safety of roadways, as well as helping lower premiums for motorists.
Homeowners self-insurance is when you use your savings or investments to cover potential losses or risks in lieu of purchasing an insurance policy and paying monthly premiums. Note that automobile liability insurance is mandatory in almost all states, and that mortgage companies usually require homeowners insurance.
Who can afford to consider self-insuring their home?
Wildfire risk is strongly conditioned by geographic considerations that vary widely by state and even within states. Temperature, humidity, wind, and topography vary too widely for a single “one size fits all” mitigation approach.
Severe convective storms are among the most common, most damaging natural catastrophes in the United States. Encompassing tornados, hail, straight-line winds, and thunderstorms with lightning, these small to mid-size perils caused $51 billion in annual U.S. insured losses in 2025, marking the third consecutive year such losses exceeded $50 billion, according to Gallagher Re.
Cyber insurance is a policy that covers expenses and responsibilities arising from cyberattacks or computer incidents. As this coverage can help with financial and legal costs that stem from cyber incidents, maintaining it can be a savvy strategy to protect business assets and brand reputation.
Analysts believe social inflation is the combined product of socioeconomic, legislative, and litigation factors that spark more frequent, sizeable, and sometimes unnecessary claim payouts. Whatever the primary drivers, social inflation is shifting loss ratios for insurers and disrupting forecasts, rendering cost management more challenging.
As you strive to find the best rates for your homeowners and auto coverage, you might think shopping around is the way to manage affordability. However, costs are increasing for everything–groceries, gasoline, and other household expenses–and so are costs for insurers that impact your premiums. Before changing your policy or carrier, consider some factors that can affect your rates and learn how an annual insurance checkup can position you to get the coverage right for you.
Deadly floods swept through the United States at a record pace in 2025, triggering more flash flood warnings than any year to date. With flood events in 99 percent of U.S. counties over the past 20 years, more communities are vulnerable to flooding than ever before, especially as exposure spreads increasingly inland.
Purchasing a home can be an exciting event that can also come with new responsibilities and questions, especially for first-time buyers. One primary challenge is having a sound financial plan to pay repair or rebuilding costs if the house becomes damaged by peril–fire, earthquake, storm, etc.