NAIC Expands Insure U Consumer Education Program

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has expanded its award-winning Insure U consumer education program with new topic areas aimed at consumers in four life situations: domestic partners; single parents; grandparents raising grandchildren; and members of the military.  
 
“Expanding our Insure U program directly reflects the varied life situations and needs that characterize our diverse nation,” said NAIC President and Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger. “Insure U is an important resource to help consumers better understand insurance issues specific to their experiences. I’m proud that we have four new ways for Americans to get smart about insurance.”  
 
The Insure U curriculum, available at www.insureUonline.org, provides insurance tips and special considerations on four basic types of insurance: auto, home, health and life. The expanded topics build on the four life situations already available on the site: young singles, young families, established families and seniors.  
 
In developing the new Insure U content, the NAIC conducted national research in March 2008 among domestic partners, single parents, grandparents raising grandchildren and members of the military.  
 
“In order to develop relevant tips and information, we first needed to find out where the information gaps occur,” said NAIC Executive Vice President and CEO Catherine J. Weatherford. “Our research identified many misperceptions and misunderstandings about insurance among these consumer groups.”  
 
Following is a summary of the key research findings, with interpretive commentary provided by the NAIC:  
 
Domestic Partners  
 
* 49 percent of domestic partners said they have no formal documentation providing evidence of their relationship.  
- For insurance purposes, such documentation is important in situations where policies specifically provide benefits to members of a family or household.  
* Only 47 percent of domestic partners said they had plans that allowed coverage of their partner.  
- That means more than half the people in these committed relationships had to obtain coverage from another source, possibly paying more money than if they were treated in the same way as a married couple.  
 
Single Parents  
 
* 15 percent of single parents said their children did not have health insurance.  
-These parents may not be aware of state and federal programs that provide health insurance for children — information that is available through state insurance departments.  
* Only 37 percent of single parents said they carried life insurance for the benefit of their child. Of those, 70 percent listed the child directly as the beneficiary.  
- Because laws generally preclude underage children from receiving an insurance payout, this financial benefit could be tied up in probate, rather than directly becoming available to help a surviving child.  
 
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren  
 
* 52 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren said they had no proof — such as legal guardianship papers — to document their role in raising their grandchildren.  
- Such documentation is useful, if not essential, when dealing with public schools, seeking access to government programs and addressing insurance issues.  
* 57 percent of grandparents who were raising a teenager of driving age said they did not have their grandchild listed as a secondary driver on their auto insurance policy. Similarly, 35 percent said their homeowners policy did not provide coverage of their grandchild’s possessions.  
- Specifically adding the grandchild to