When you buy insurance, the U.S. government typically doesn’t back your insurer’s guarantee or banking insurances. So it’s up to you to make certain that any company you consider is licensed to do business in your state. You can do this through your state insurance commissioner. Visit the website of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (www.naic.org) for a list of state commissioner web addresses and phone numbers. (more…)

You should keep important documents such as car titles and mortgage loan papers locked away in a safe-deposit box—a small, secure storage compartment that you can rent in a bank, usually for $100 a year or less. Other items commonly kept in safe-deposit boxes include rental agreements, birth certificates, adoption papers, a list of insurance policies, stock certificates, and valuable collectibles, such as coins or stamps. (more…)