DID YOU KNOW?

2019

Week of October 28- Did you know open enrollment for 2020 individual health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) runs from November 1 through December 15. You must sign up by December 15 if you want coverage to start on January 1. Information on the various ACA-compliant plans available in Pennsylvania and where to seek enrollment assistance can be found here.

Week of March 3 - No matter where you live in Pennsylvania, you can purchase flood insurance. Flood damage can happen to you, no matter where your home, apartment or business is located. You do not have to be located within a flood plain to protect your property from the threat of water damage. Learn more about flood insurance here.

2018

Week of December 23 - As a party host, you could be liable for injuries or property damage caused by a guest who becomes intoxicated, even after the guest leaves your home or apartment. Click here for tips on hosting safe holiday parties and on what your insurance may or may not cover.

Week of October 29 - Open enrollment for 2019 individual health insurance plans under the Affordable care Act (ACA) is November 1 to December 15. Information on the various plans and where to seek enrollment assistance can be found here. This open enrollment will offer many consumers more choices and competitive costs for comprehensive health coverage under the ACA, so shop around, even if you are enrolled in a plan you like.

Week of September 17 - Short-term limited duration health plans will soon be available for up to threee years. However, these plans are not required to provide all benefits that Affordable Care Act compliant plans do, and should not be sold as comprehensive health coverage. Make sure you understand what your health plan covers. To learn more, click here.

Week of August 6 - Are you thinking about the possibility of residing at a retirement community? Have you been researching communities in your desired county? The Pennsylvania Insurance Department has an easy to use facility search page that sorts by county, as well as provides an alphabetical listing to search for specific communities. To learn more, click here.

Week of July 9 - Only 34% of American's have renters' insurance. This may be due to the lack of understanding the importance of renters' insurance and how affordable it can be. To learn more, clickhere.

Week of May 10 - The PA Insurance Department never makes unsolicited calls to consumers and we do not 'sell' insurance. Individuals should never give out personal or identifying information to anyone who calls them without warning. Consumers who have received similar calls are urged to call the Insurance Department's consumer hotline at 1-877-881-6388. Learn more here.

Week of April 11 - Pennsylvania ranks 3^rd in the number of dog bite liability claims for 2017? Insurers paid $26.54 million on 1,002 claims last year. Learn more about protecting your home and your pooch here.

Week of February 26 - The State Fire Commissioner recommends you change the batteries in your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors when you change your clocks to Daylight Savings Time, which begins Sunday, March 11th.

Week of January 1 - Did you know if food in your fridge or freezer spoils because you lose power due to ice, snow, wind, or other reasons beyond your control, your homeowners’ policy may or may not pay to replace that food? Check your policy or talk to your insurance professional to be sure.

2017

Week of December 10 - Ski equipment, if lost or stolen, is often covered by your homeowners’ or renters’insurance. But, snowmobiles are usually not covered by homeowners’, renters’, or auto insurance. Check with your agent before hitting the slopes or trails.

Week of September 18 - Up to a million vehicles may have been damaged by recent flooding. You can check to see if a car had a claim filed for flood damage at www.nicb.org/vincheck, and get a list of ways to see if a vehicle you are thinking of buy has flood damage here.

Week of August 6 - Did you know that you can save on out-of-pocket costs for maintenance medications by asking your doctor to prescribe a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day and using your plan's preferred network of retail pharmacies or a mail order pharmacy for refills?

2016

Week of April 24th - Did you know that your landlord’s homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover your belongings in the event of theft or damage? These policies cover the space that you rent, not the contents within. Renters insurance policies do cover your belongings, and range from just $15-30 per month. For more information, visit our Renters Insurance page.

Weeek of April 10th - If you’re planning a trip outside the United States, your health insurance may not cover you. Some health plans provide full coverage overseas, some only cover emergencies, and some don’t provide any coverage at all. Call the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card well before your trip, so you have time to decide whether you need or want to buy additional coverage.

Week of March 27th - Did you know an insurance company can’t file for bankruptcy? When a Pennsylvania domiciled insurance company is declared by the Commonwealth Court to be insolvent they are placed in either liquidation or rehabilitation by the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance. For more information or to see which insurance companies are currently in liquidation or rehabilitation, visit our liquidation and rehab page.

Week of March 13th - Did you know that if you bought long term care insurance since September, 2002 and have received a substantial increase in your premium, and you decide to stop paying and let your policy lapse, you are entitled to a contingent benefit? This benefit is equal to the total premiums you have paid, or 30 times the daily nursing home benefit at the time you stopped paying premiums. For more information, visit our long term care insurance page.

Week of March 6th - Did you know that Audrey R. Kelly was Pennsylvania’s first female Commissioner? She was an attorney who graduated from Cornell Law School, and she practiced law for 14 years before becoming Commissioner. After a failed run for Secretary of the Interior, Governor William Scranton selected her to be his Insurance Commissioner, where she served from 1963-1967.

Week of February 21st - Did you know that optional sinkhole coverage is available to you through your homeowners insurance policy? Sinkholes are found across Pennsylvania and can cause damage to your home, but earth movement like sinkholes, earthquakes, etc. are not traditionally covered by homeowners insurance alone. Talk to your agent or insurance company for more information.

Week of February 14th - Are you aware that topping off your tank at the pump could result in a minor fuel spill that can be very costly to clean up? It takes only a few drops of gasoline to pollute the soil or groundwater below the gas station which then requires a costly cleanup. On average, it takes up to 7 years and several hundred thousand dollars to clean up fuel contamination. Learn more at ustif.pa.gov.

Week of February 7th - Did you know more than one million Pennsylvania homes in 43 counties sit on top of abandoned coal or clay mines? Ground movement caused by mine subsidence can cause severe damage to your home, and is not covered by homeowners insurance. Pennsylvania has a Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund to protect homeowners, usually for less than $100 per year. Learn more at www.paMSI.org.

Week of January 31st - Did you know that homeowners insurance policies typically exclude coverage for damage caused by the back-up of water or sewage that enters the home through a sewer or drain? Fortunately most insurers offer an optional endorsement to provide this coverage. Contact your insurance company or agent for more information about purchasing optional back-up of sewer and drain coverage.

Week of January 24th - Did you know that unless you are exempt, under the Affordable Care Act you are required to have qualifying health insurance, or you could pay a fee up to $695 or 2.5% of your income, whichever is greater? This fee is paid when filing your federal taxes.

Week of January 18th - Did you know that approx. 20 insurance companies offer pet insurance in Pennsylvania? Pet insurance can help cover costs associated with veterinary care. Policies commonly exclude pre-existing conditions and have limits, deductibles and coinsurance provisions. Rates typically vary (among other things) by the type of pet, breed, age and level of coverage desired. Contact a licensed insurance agent or broker for more information.

Week of January 11th - Did you know that event cancellation insurance can be purchased to cover expenses related to the postponement or cancellation of events such as seminars, concerts, golf tournaments, 5k’s, festivals and even weddings?

Week of January 4th - Did you know that employers who would like to self-insure health coverage for their employees can purchase what is known as “stop-loss” insurance coverage? Stop-loss insurance is a type of excess insurance coverage that typically includes a per-claim and/or aggregate attachment point in which costs beyond the attachment point(s) are paid by the stop-loss insurer.

2015

Week of December 28th - Did you know that there are more than 200 insurance companies writing personal auto insurance and homeowners insurance (each) in Pennsylvania? Available coverages, limits and deductibles vary from insurer to insurer as do exclusions. Consumers should shop around for the policy and price that best meets their insurance needs.

Week of December 21st - Did you know that many consumers who believe they have purchased the minimum amount of auto insurance required by law are actually paying for more than what is required? This is because the law requires certain options to be included on auto insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania unless they are specifically rejected in writing. If you purchase or wish to purchase the minimum amount of coverage required by law, make sure you have signed and returned the required forms to reject full tort, uninsured motorists and underinsured motorists coverage to your agent or insurer.

Week of December 13th - Did you know that a 2011 law (Act 20) permits sole proprietors, partners of a partnership and members of a limited liability company to be written on a workers compensation policy? If you meet one of these categories and want to be covered for workers compensation insurance, reach out to your workers compensation insurer or agent. If they are not willing to write you, try another insurer - there are more than 300 insurance companies writing workers compensation insurance in Pennsylvania.

Week of December 6th - Did you know that when home prices decline the insured value of your home usually does not? This is because the market value of your home is unrelated to the costs of labor and raw materials needed to repair or rebuild your home.

Week of November 29th - Did you know that you can purchase hole-in-one coverage for that golf tournament you are organizing? With hole-in-one coverage, you can offer a substantial prize that will be paid directly by the insurance company.

Week of November 22nd - Did you know that there is a 30-day waiting period after purchasing flood insurance coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program before you will have coverage?

Week of November 15th - Did you know that you can save a substantial amount of money on your auto and homeowners policy by choosing higher deductibles?

Week of November 8th - Did you know that insurers cannot cancel or non-renew your homeowners insurance policy simply becuase you have submitted a claim or even several claims? Although your premium might increase due to a claim surcharge, your policy will continue.

Week of November 1st - Did you know that if you have remodeling done on your home, you should contact your insurance company and describe the work that has been done to ensure your policy will cover the improvements that have been made?

Week of October 25th - Did you know that you can save 40% on what you pay for bodily injury, uninsured motorists, underinsured motorists and first party benefits coverage on your personal auto policy by electing limited tort? Limited tort election means you give up your right to sue for non-economic damages (e.g. pain and suffering) if you are injured in an automobile accident unless the accident meets one of the exceptions in law.

Week of October 18th - Did you know that many insurance companies offer utility line coverage for costs related to the repair of underground supply lines providing water, electricity and natural gas to your home? Contact your homeowner insurer, agent or broker to see if you can purchase this optional coverage.

Week of October 11th - Did you know that many car insurers consider how many miles you drive to work or school when rating your policy? If your job or commute has changed, you should contact your insurer to provide updated information.