American International Group is planning to curb homeowners insurance sales for owners at high risk of floods, storms, or wildfires in 200 zip codes across the United States, according to a report in the Wall St Journal. AIG is the third major insurer in recently to announce cuts to homeowners insurance.
Genetic testing, where a company examines your DNA, often from a saliva sample, and sends you a report about your family background or your likelihood for developing certain health conditions, is all the rage. It sounds like a great idea, but can you trust a company when it promises to keep your sensitive DNA data private?
Either I missed the Public Citizen report on the toll private equity is taking on U.S. health care or I didn’t understand its significance. The report, released in March, says private equity takeovers have come with shocking lapses in safety, with prices rising faster than at non-private equity entities, while patients have been subjected to price gouging.
It’s a tragedy that more babies are dying in loungers and companies are continuing to sell dangerous ones. Although Boppy newborn loungers were recalled in September 2021 due to the risk that infants can suffocate, shortly after the recall two additional infants died in loungers in unsafe sleep environments.
Financial institutions are increasingly using chatbots, which put out human-like responses using computer programming, to communicate with customers to save money. Chatbots sometimes have human names and use popup features to encourage interaction. Some chatbots use more complex technologies such as “artificial intelligence” to respond to customers.
Another huge recall with dozens of injuries points out once again the importance of keeping up on product recalls. About 469,000 self-cleaning juicers are being recalled by Empower Brands in the United States and with an additional 10,900 recalled in Canada. The juicers can rupture during use.
More than three quarters of adults have used a payment app, called a P2P or peer-to-peer or person-to-person app. Widely used nonbank payment apps include PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App. The apps can be used on a computer or mobile device to send money to someone else without writing a check or handing over cash.
It’s not surprising what last year’s top consumer complaint was. I’ve seen it many times as No. 1 on annual consumer complaint lists. It’s auto sales and repair. “Consumers rely on cars to get to work, school, doctors’ appointments and more,” said Erin Witte, director of consumer protection for the Consumer Federation of America.
Whether you’re remembering a loved one who passed away in their service to the country, going to a parade, visiting a cemetery, having or attending a barbecue, shopping, or working, I hope your Memorial Day is going well. Many people also see the Memorial Day weekend as the beginning of summer and are enjoying outings and picnics.
