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Question: Why would an insurance company ask for my phone records after my car was stolen?  Can they be nosy with my personal information like this just because I made a claim? Answer:  Your insurer asked for your phone records because it wants to make sure your claim isn’t fraudulent. It’s not unusual for car insurance companies to ask for personal documents when investigating certain types of claims — such as vandalism, fire and theft — because these have higher cases of fraud associated with them. Phone records, banking information, loan agreements, divorce decrees and other items of this nature may [...]

You’re relaxing on a beach in the Caribbean or sitting at an important business meeting far from home. You’re still daydreaming about your vacation or how well your presentation went at the conference when you arrive home to disaster. Perhaps a pipe has burst and flooded your home, or a burglar has broken in and stolen your laptop and new flat-screen TV, or birds have flown down the chimney and wreaked havoc on your furniture. Whatever your misfortune involves, you should begin by photographing the damage and contacting your homeowners insurance company, says Joanna Moore, senior vice president of claims [...]

I’ve heard that homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding. But do I need flood insurance? How would I know? My neighborhood isn’t near a river, and I don’t think we’ve ever had a flood. — Dry Guy Dear Dry, You’re right. Homeowners policies don’t cover flooding or any kind of water damage from water that enters the house at or below ground level. Fortunately, the federal government offers flood insurance. The question is: Do you need flood insurance if you don’t live along a body of water like a lake or river? The answer is: maybe. For sure, you need flood [...]

After a campaign that felt like it lasted forever, Election Day is finally here. The outcomes of today’s races across the country will impact how important small business issues are addressed next year in the 113th Congress, including taxes, healthcare and regulatory reform. Here are the top 5 things small business owners should watch for on Election Night:

Borrowers face plenty of reasons for rejection when they apply for credit, but perhaps the most distressing is being told that a creditor or credit bureau believes you’re dead. That might seem incredible, but it’s a mistake that does occur. Typically, this error happens because the borrower shared a joint account with a person who died and a creditor incorrectly notified the credit bureau, which then flagged the wrong person’s account or file with a so-called death indicator, according to David Blumberg, a spokesman for TransUnion, a Chicago-based credit bureau. “In the majority of cases, it concerns joint accounts such [...]

A comparison by Mashable of smartphone and camera photos shows a purple glare on pics taken with the iPhone 5.Apple acknowledges purple flare problem on iPhone 5Company calls problem common with phones, advises users to shield it from lightStill, Consumer Reports says new iPhone is a winnerBut Samsung Galaxy S III, Droid RAZR MAXX still score higher than new iPhone Apple has responded to complaints that some photos taken with the iPhone 5 show a purple flare, saying it happens to many smartphones when they’re aimed near a light source like the sun.”Most small cameras, including those in every generation [...]

Using credit cards responsibly may not sound appealing at first, but being plagued with too much credit card debt is an ugly mess that can develop quickly and linger for years. Making smart decisions about credit, on the other hand, isn’t difficult and can improve your credit score, help you when landing a job, and be welcome relief in the event of an emergency. Avoiding the following mistakes when using credit cards can leave you sitting pretty:5 credit card mistakes that can cost youNot keeping track of purchases – Sometimes when using a credit card it can seem like you [...]

We all have our bad spending habits: a $ 3 latte in the morning, an expensive taxi fare now and then, a cheap piece of jewelry when we’re down in the dumps. We’re all for splurging, especially if you do it right. In other words, go ahead and buy the things that make you happy, as long as those small purchases motivate you, and you plan them out for maximum enjoyment … rather than simply throwing your money away. For example: You buy yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers at the end of the month as a reward for staying [...]

Dear Dr. Don, In six weeks I will be losing my unemployment benefits. I own a home that has a mortgage of $ 170,000. My monthly payments are $ 1,300 for the mortgage and taxes. I owe $ 38,000 in credit card debt. I have $ 10,000 in medical debt. I have $ 60,000 in an individual retirement account and have no other savings. I do get $ 793.25 from a pension from my deceased husband. I am 57 ½ and worked at my former employer for 14 years, but now no one will hire me. Where do I go [...]

Rejected for a loan because your credit history was shut down? It could be because the credit bureaus think you’re dead.  About 1,000 people per month get mistakenly declared dead by the Social Security Administration every year, according to government estimates. Many more get falsely reported as deceased by their bank, credit card issuer or by one of the big three credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. Often, when victims find out that they have been accidentally declared dead, they assume that proving they’re alive and well will be an easy fix. Instead, they find they will have to [...]