The watchdog agency has said that it will look to establish whether reports that motor insurance premiums have jumped 40 per cent in a year are true, and will also seek the reasoning behind the rise.

Officials also said that it would specifically look into any practices that raised any concerns about competition or consumers. The offices has called on insurance companies and other organisations and enterprises in the industry to provide evidence, including website for premium price comparison.

The agency also expressed that it was interested in reports that premiums in Northern Ireland were much higher than elsewhere in the UK, and said that it would examine provisions for replacing cars after accidents as well as add-on products offered by insurance firms.

OFT personnel are to gather evidence on the matter in the coming five weeks and are expected to table a report sometime in December. The findings will determine whether it will look deeper into rising auto insurance premiums.

OFT to examine car insurance premiums - Comparecarhire.co.uk

Many east coasters aren’t as prepared as others across the United States to endure a hurricane, let alone deal with the aftermath.  As residents of the northeastern United States brace for Hurricane Irene, here’s how drivers should be prepared and how to handle her aftermath.

Hopefully you’ve packed your  go bag (pdf) and filled up your gas tank in case you need to relocate for shelter.  But make sure you bring the car charger for your cell phone, reminds  Consumer Reports .

The Weather Channel notes that text messaging is the best way to communicate on your phone since it uses less battery power than talking on the phone.

Before the storm hits, park your car as high up as possible. And if you’re keeping your car at home, consider parking parallel to your garage to help block the garage door since damage to your garage door can mean damage to your home, suggests Consumer Reports.  That’s especially important since Hurricane Irene is hitting areas where many garages haven’t been built to hurricane codes.

Your Car In And After A Hurricane - Forbes

There is no sign, nothing to indicate this is a place of worship, just an open door in an alley near the Goodwill store and the sound of Arabic crackling over a tinny sound system.

The mosque is behind a real estate agency on Main Street in Fort Morgan. On Fridays, the Somali men come — standing, kneeling and pressing their foreheads to the floor in the rhythms of Islamic prayer.

The imam, or spiritual leader, does not have time to talk after his sermon. He has to hurry off to work second shift at the Cargill meatpacking plant.

The latest wave of immigrants to remake the face of this rural agricultural community of 12,000 is black, Muslim and scarred from experiences in a failed state.

Somali Muslims finding a place in Fort Morgan - Denver Post

The new paradigm for online insurance sales has made pricing and purchasing insurance online simple and easy. So as an independent agent, your online presence must be front and center to fully support your reputation and book of business...

In a recent study of life insurance policyowners, LIMRA found that one in two have visited their life insurer’s website and 70 percent of those who visited, did so to use the online services...

It has long been said that life insurance is a product that is sold, not bought. Yet a new study finds that Americans’ preferences for purchasing life insurance are shifting towards direct buying methods...

The new paradigm for online insurance sales has made pricing and purchasing insurance online simple and easy. So as an independent agent, your online presence must be front and center to fully support your reputation and book of business...

3 Ways to Increase Your Life Insurance Agency's Online Presence Today - Insurance News Net (press release)

Watchdog agency says rise in financial crimes may be linked to overtime cuts, because many had become dependent on the extra income. In one case, a deputy torched his car and sought an insurance payout.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and the Sheriff's Department, citing personnel constraints, refused to release the names of the deputies in any of the cases involving fraud allegations in the past year even though the criminal cases are public record.

Several Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies have been entangled in fraud allegations in the last year, a spike that the department's watchdog says may be linked to overtime cuts pushing cash-strapped deputies to commit crimes.

Mexico , where he abandoned it and later claimed it was stolen. Two other deputies are facing federal charges in an alleged mortgage fraud scheme, according to the report provided to The Times Monday by the Office of Independent Review.

LA County is seeing a spike in deputy-fraud allegations - Los Angeles Times

Filer Insurance, Inc. announces the launch of a new agency website at http://www.FilerIns.com . With interactive features such as on-site glossaries, maps, driving directions, and multiple forms of contact, Filer Insurance, Inc.'s new website covers several types of insurance including Miami Car Insurance and is designed with insurance customers in mind.

Filer Insurance, Inc. has a long standing reputation of providing affordable and comprehensive Miami Car Insurance . The agency has a commitment to keep the insurance buying experience simple. As a demonstration of that commitment, Filer Insurance, Inc. has launched a completely redesigned, interactive website.

The new design was specifically devoted to provide a more comprehensive source of insurance information and services for prospects and our current customers. In-depth information for the insurance buyer can be obtained through the useful articles and an extensive insurance glossary posted on the site. These resources will give answers to car, auto, home, or business insurance customer's most commonly asked questions.

The new site has been completely redesigned to improve the visitors' ability to find what they are looking for, regardless of their knowledge of insurance. The site features a modern look and streamlined site navigation. It is more intuitive and very easy to get a Miami Car Insurance quote. In addition to the ability to submit quotes, visitors can also submit requests such as policy changes, payments, or file an insurance claim through a fully featured customer service portal. Visitors are encouraged to visit our News Room to view the latest local news.

Filer Insurance, Inc. Launches Interactive Website - Benzinga

Mark Moran / The Citizens' Voice U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, talks with homeowner Janice Lamb, center, and her friend Jamie McDermott on the steps of her damaged home on Poplar Street in Plymouth.

PLYMOUTH - Two days after heavy rain and rising creek waters destroyed homes and roads, toppled electric lines and flipped a vehicle upside down on Coal Street, federal, state, county and local officials assessed the damage.

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, state Sen. John Yudichak, state Rep. Gerald Mullery and officials from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Luzerne County Emergency Management Agency, Plymouth Borough and Plymouth Township toured the flood-damaged areas Tuesday.

One of the hardest-hit areas was Coal Street in Plymouth Borough and Plymouth Township, where heavy rains and raging creek waters destroyed the road and flipped a Chevy Trailblazer upside down in front of the home of Margaret Allabaugh and her daughter Diane.

'These people need help' - Citizens Voice

As the owner of a communications agency in Del Mar, Calif., Andy Abramson travels often. In fact, he's had two accidents in the last two years while he was driving rental cars.

American Express Premium Car Rental Protection plan and had bought the rental company's liability insurance. American Express "covered an extra $500 that the rental company was trying to stick me with and completely took the matter out of my hands," Abramson said.

Although many credit card companies offer collision and theft protection insurance if their card was used as payment, auto rental coverage varies from company to company — hence the importance of contacting your credit card company before renting a vehicle.

Credit card insurance usually includes payment for the damaged or stolen rented car, and some may provide for other costs, such as towing or rental agency fees.

Know your rental car insurance coverage - Baltimore Sun

When vacationers rent cars this summer for their adventures, the big debate isn't likely to be about whether to get a compact, a mid-size or a full-size, but whether to sign up for the insurance the rental company is offering.

Gas prices are already making road trips more expensive than they were last summer, so the extra $7 to $14 a day -- or as much as $40 per day for more comprehensive rental car insurance -- might be tempting to pass up. Whether or not you should is a something you should figure out long before you get to the counter.

Generally, your personal auto insurance will cover you when you rent a car. In most cases, whatever coverage and deductibles you have on your own car would apply when you rent a car, provided you are using the car for recreation and not for business, says Worters. If you dropped either comprehensive or collision on your own car as a way to reduce costs, you will not be covered if your rental car is stolen or damaged in an accident, so you'll need to buy it, she adds.

However, do find out if your own policy covers your car rentals for travel, as opposed to just rentals while your own car is being serviced, points out Greg McBride, a senior financial analyst with Bankrate.com. Know too, that if your current car insurance policy has a high deductible, you might want to get the rental agency's coverage. "Do you really want to fork over a large deductible because somebody smashed a car that isn't even yours?" asks McBride.

Rental Agency Car Insurance: Is It Worth the Price? - DailyFinance

Reporter Ed White of the Associated Press reports that a Southfield, Mi. insurance firm, which is suing the feds to recover money from the crash,  is wondering about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident. FBI agent Fred Kingston was driving the stolen 1995 F-50 Ferrari when he crashed it in 2009.

AP reports that Motors Insurance said in a court document filed last week that there was “good reason” to believe that an FBI agent and a federal prosecutor “were taking an extremely rare and exceedingly fast Ferrari out for a joyride.” The car was in the custody of federal authorities after it was recovered.

The Justice Department had released an email from Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Hamilton Thompson, who was a passenger, AP reported. It said he was invited for a “short ride” before the Ferrari was to be moved from an impound garage, AP reported.

U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn met privately with both sides on Monday, AP reported. The news agency said the Justice Department declined comment.

Insurance Firm Isn't Giving Up on Collecting Money After FBI Agent Smashed ... - ticklethewire.com