General
Test your insurance IQ — Surveys show 67 percent of Americans feel they have just about the right amount of insurance but, incredibly, 62 percent also feel they don't understand their policies very well. Check your knowledge.

Clickable map — Find your state insurance regulator

The world's wackiest insurance policies — You've got auto insurance, but are you covered should an alien land on your roof?

Insurance industry started in a coffee house — The mammoth worldwide insurance industry started some 300 years ago in Edward Lloyd's coffee house in London. Today, Lloyd's remains ready, willing and able to insure just about anything.

Medical insurance for your pet — Rover got a boo boo? You can get help paying the bill.

Liability umbrellas keep you from getting soaked — If your financial pockets go deeper than the liability coverage on your home or auto policies, you may need a bigger umbrella to protect your from a storm of lawsuits.

What's your body worth? — We hear all the time about celebrities insuring various body parts for huge amounts, but while those tales are usually publicity stunts, you may wonder what your insurance company might actually pay if you lost part of your body.

5 insurance policies you don't need — It always sounds like a good idea to protect yourself against danger, but is it? Here's a look at 5 protection plans agents would love to see but you'd be better off without.

Policy shopping online — Want to compare coverage options? Start at your computer, where you'll find plenty of info about more and more insurance offerings.

Cut insurance costs with affinity policies — Buying within a membership group could save you big insurance bucks.

Insuring your wedding ceremony — Some couples opt for insurance protection against ceremony calamities. Cold feet, however, are not covered.

Cut costs with combined coverage — You might be able to save substantially when you let one carrier take care of all your insurance needs.

Auto Insurance
Everything you need to know about auto insurance — Industry experts share their secrets on getting the best deals on auto insurance and making sure you get the coverage you deserve.

Cutting the cost of teen auto insurance — Insuring your teenage driver is expensive, but there are some saving shortcuts.

Cell phone chatter can cause accidents — Just like mom always used to say, you can't do two things at one time.

Don't (fill in the blank) while driving — A collection of some of the dumber things that people do behind the wheel.

What to do after a car crash — Steps to take immediately after you're involved in an auto accident.

How to save on auto insurance — Cut costs by understanding your needs and shopping around.

8 steps to making an auto insurance claim — First calm down. Then get all the appropriate information.

What to do if you're injured — An insurance claim gets more complicated if someone is hurt.

Getting all you're entitled to — Know what to demand when the other driver is at fault.

Your kid's in her safety seat, but is she safe? — Giant strides in child safety seats have dramatically cut the number of children killed in auto accidents — yet that remains the number one killer of kids in America. What's wrong with this picture?

Buying the right child safety seat for your kid — Buying the right child safety seat for your kid may be — to put it bluntly — the difference between life and death. Here's how to make sure you're getting the right one.

How credit scores affect rates — Auto insurers are now using credit scores to help determine your premium.

Insuring your Harley or Honda — Motorcycles seem to be multiplying like rabbits on the nation's highways. Here's all you need to know about insuring your next hog.

Top 10 American cities for car thieves — Auto theft is common just about anywhere, but in border towns and cities with major seaports it's staggering.

Safest cars on the road today — If safety is one of your top priorities in buying a new car, here are the models you should be looking at.

Prime targets for thieves — New or old, cheap or pricey, car thieves seem to steal anything. We take a look at the cars most frequently stolen and why.

Best ways to block car thieves — Short of a poison-gas contraption — which police may take a dim view of — here's the best devices and methods you can use to prevent your car from being stolen.

26-second car thefts drive insurance rates — Every 26 seconds a car is stolen in the U.S., costing everyone higher insurance premiums. Here's a statistical look at the growing problem.

Port cities, border towns worst for auto theft — Nine of the worst 10 cities in the country for auto theft are either port cities or communities that lie near the Mexican or Canadian borders. Here's a list of the top 10 U.S. cities for auto larceny.

10 things your auto insurance agent won't tell you — They're full of information and will answer any question you can ask, but there are still some things your agent won't volunteer.

Average auto insurance premiums by state — Insuring your car costs aolmost twice as much on average in the District of Columbia than in North Dakota. Find out where your state fits.

Switching your auto coverage — You've found a better auto insurance deal. Or have you? Before you cancel your old policy, check out these tips to make sure your switch really pays off.

Homeowner's Insurance
ABCs of your homeowner's insurance policy — A breakdown of the parts and protections offered by a good homeowners' policy personal loans, Insurance

What does your homeowners insurance actually cover? — The difference between cash value and replacement value could empty your wallet.

Does your insurance cover terrorism? — For the most part, it depends on who does what to whom.

8 tips for homeowners insurance — After a disaster is a little late to find out what is and what is not covered by your policy.

Finding your own claims adjuster — Get somebody on your side to fight the insurance company.

Insuring your mobile home — It's called mobile, but it's got no wheels. Mobile or not, they're home-sweet-home to millions of Americans. But can you insure them the same way?

Higher premiums? Blame it on the mold — Mold is taking over homes, sickening their occupants and creating havoc in the homeowners insurance industry. And homeowners are feeling the impact with higher homeowner's insurance premiums and cancellation notices.

12 tips for a mold-free home As homes get built tighter for energy efficiency, the growth of mold becomes more likely. Here are the experts top tips to block the fungus growing among us.

Condo coverage: Insuring your box in the sky — Owners of condos and co-ops and renters alike need to protect the contents of their homes even if someone else is protecting the structure. Here's a basic look at guarding against losses in that box in the sky you call home.

Reclaiming your good name after identity theft — Your identity's been stolen and you've battled to prove you didn't make all those charges on your record. Now you've got to get your name back and restore the reputation you worked so hard to build. Here's how to go about it.

Special hazards need special coverage — Earthquake, flood, hurricane and tornado zones often mean special insurance. Or maybe you want protection from the low-flying 747s passing over your house. Regional and specialty coverage should be in your plans.

Do you need nanny insurance? — You might if your homeowners' policy has gaps. To cover possible exclusions, some companies now offer policies to protect you against claims by household employees.

Health Insurance
Take a look — or bite — at this insurance — Everyone knows health insurance is very important, but what about vision and dental insurance?

In health insurance, you pay for choice — If you want to pick your own doctors, it will probably cost you more.

Hip, hip, HIPAA! Medical plan goes where you go — If you're among the millions who think the nation's medical insurance system is a mess, consider how bad it would be without HIPAA.

This COBRA can be a lifesaver — If you've suddenly lost your job and the health insurance that goes with it, this federal law with a clumsy title can save you from a scary situation.

Stigma and loopholes plague mental health coverage — State and federal lawmakers have worked for equality between physical and mental health insurance coverage, but legal loopholes and the fear of disgrace have stymied their efforts.

Protecting yourself from rising prescription costs — As high prices for prescription drugs spirals upward, millions of Americans are getting squeezed out of adequate health care. Here's how it works and what you can do to afford the medicine you need.

Medical bills can make your credit sick — Not paying your medical bills on time or simply getting caught up in one of those bureaucratic fights between your insurance company and a medical provider can bring serious malaise to your credit rating. Here's how tp make sure that doesn't happen.

You can insure your child's health — for free — If you have no health insurance yourself, you may be able to get coverage for your children — even if you can't afford it, thanks to the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Don't let a health catastrophe wipe you out — A medical catastrophe can strike anyone, anywhere, without notice. And the massive bills can eliminate decades of hard work and planning. But there's health insurance that can prevent those sudden, huge medicals bills from wiping you out.

Medicare — the basics — Most people know about Medicare but few know much about it and even fewer understand how it works. Here's a basic look at the plan that insures millions of Americans.

Medicaid — the basics — Medicare and Medicaid are important government health insurance programs, and consumers often confuse the two. Who are these programs for? What do they cover? Here are some answers.

Protecting yourself from illegal health plans — As rising costs keep more Americans uninsured, unscrupulous agents offer policies that are just too good to be true. They are. Here's how they work and how to spot them before you sign up.

Increased insurance coverage for unmarried couples — The definition of a family is changing and workplaces are acknowledging that in expanded coverage for domestic partners.

Spending accounts can boost healthcare savings — Participation in your workplace cafeteria plan lets you cut taxes and your medical expenses.

12 questions for long term care insurance — Here's what to ask to unravel the often mysterious world of long-term care insurance.

Health insurance terms and definitions

Fighting your health insurance companys — How to avoid the fight when you can, and how to win it when you can't.

Disability insurance often overlooked — But it can be a home and wallet saver if you have it.

What to look for in consumer-driven medical coverage — Seven questions to ask when sorting through the new health-care options.

New health care options appear contagious — So-called "consumer-driven" medical coverage includes more flexible rules on costs and doctor choice. But there's a catch: cost.

Do discount medical cards pay off? — It seems everyone is offering cards to help you pay for health care. Do they keep money in your account or simply put it in the pocket of the card marketers?

Life Insurance
Should you buy life insurance for kids? — Some experts say the controversial coverage is a waste of money. Others say it's a good investment.

The basics of life insurance — What it is, who should get it and what to look out for.

Retirement dream fading? Annuities can help cash crunch. — The dream of retirement is becoming a nightmare for many Americans who are facing living longer with no paycheck and a fragile Social Security system. Annuities may be the answer.

4 ways to reduce risk in variable annuities — Variable annuities are purchased through insurance companies, but carry the risk of the stock market. Here are the best ways to cut that risk.

4 things your agent won't tell you about annuities — An annuity is a complex investment, even for a savvy investor. It can only get worse if the agent who sells it to you holds back information you should have.

Longer lifespan lowers insurance rates New mortality tables are taking effect for the first time since 1980, which means insurance premiums — especially on term policies — could drop as much as 30 percent.

Variable annuities: Down but not out — Variable annuities were hot investments in the 90s but recent tax cuts on capital gains and dividends should prompt you to take a fresh look.

New: Term insurance with financial return — Several highly-rated life insurers now offer Return of Premium term life which means they'll refund all premiums paid when you outlive the initial rate guarantee. Here's how it works:

Living on the edge can cost you — If you have a dangerous hobby, the most frightening thing you might encounter is your life insurance policy premium.

How much life insurance do I need?

Term vs. whole life