California Insurance

You have your tape, plastic sheeting, water bottles and radio batteries. Now it is time for your financial affairs in order for a possible terrorist attack or war.

Although the possibility for victims of an attack is small, it’s always useful to pray for the best preparation and worse.

Here is a list of money matters, the cash insurance investments.

Cash: if the terrorist alert orange, have a lot of green. “I would have at least $ 500 to $ 1000 cash around,” said Robert Vanneman, managing director of Bessemer Trust.

Wills: You are rather be killed by a drunk driver a dirty bomb. But if you do not have a will, now is the right time to write.

“This is an alarm signal for people feel they have time for things like that, said Menlo Park Financial Planner Karen Good Friend.

RECORDS: If you save your financial records on your computer, print relevant information in case you (or your financial institution) of losing power over a long period of time, said Good Friend.

ACCOUNTS: If all your assets with a financial institution, look at the opening of an account of the urgency of a second institution.

A General Accounting Office report released last week, said Wall Street is better prepared for an attack there September 11, but it is still vulnerable to disturbances.

15 The GAO examined the bodies or trade clearing and found that nine “is not yet developed (business plans) to ensure that the staff of the plight of the implementation of its operations would be available if an attack incapable of staff in their principal places. “Four of 15 had no relief.

Insurance: Make sure your car, home, life and disability insurance. If the hood, make sure it is reasonable. You see, if it is war or terrorism exclusions.

Many homeowners and auto insurance has long excluded coverage of claims resulting from war and nuclear explosions or leaks. Since September 11, some companies are excluded damage, terrorist acts as good.

According to the State Department of Insurance, six companies have received authorization for terrorism at home, exclusions and / or self-policy in California.

They are Topa Insurance Co. (house and car), Philadelphia Indemnity (home), California Capital (car and at home), the California State Automobile Association of Northern California (home), Geico (auto) and Eagle West (car and at home) .

So far, the three largest home insurers in California - State Farm, Allstate and Farmers - terrorism is not excluded.

State Farm, but sends letters to auto insurance clarification of their customers-of-War exclusion.

“He says there is no coverage for loss of a vehicle of nuclear reaction, radiation or radiation releases of all nuclear material and radioactive device,” says Janet, spokesman of the State Farm Ruiz. The same goes for the exclusion of the State farm owner.

In Congress passed, November Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, which applies only to insurance professionals. It proposes a federal return barrier for certain acts of terrorism and requires insurers to offer coverage of terrorism, to a certain ceiling.

For the protection of consumers, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, is a state insurance regulator, came with a political declaration on banning insurers, with the exception of terrorism in personal lines.

“All or almost all countries followed our direction,” said Montana Insurance Commissioner John Morrison, a little NAIC group fight against terrorism.

California was not one of them. California can not solve coverage rate is not, said Nancy Kramer, a spokesman for the Department of Insurance.

If a company wants something to exclude, it is intended to cover the state can say that the company to lower rates, but it can not be said that the company, which may or may not cover.

“There has never been more important for consumers to read their policies,” said Kramer. If she does not like it, they should shop around.

Investment: how to protect your investment is almost impossible.

The economy is like a truck idling at a crossroads.

On the left is a little war with Iraq, Saddam Hussein ends with is replaced by a democratic government, or at least accepted the USA.

On the right is a long and chaotic war stretching over Iraq and disrupt world oil supply.

When the truck left, the Exchange phases of the event a huge relief. Pumps oil in Iraq and its raw Price Lot. The economic upturn in the USA, even if, as is highly debatable. The money, which had sunk in treasury securities, money market fund and gold moves in the stock market. The interest rate increase. Bond decrease.