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We've blogged before about the challenges one faces if forced to use a weapon in self-defense, even folks with concealed carry permits. After all, you intentionally hurt or killed someone. The permit may help you out in court, but you're still on the hook for attorney's fees.

The problem is that your typical homeowner's policy (where one would ordinarily look for some help) excludes intentional acts like shooting someone, and there's no "except when they're attacking you or your loved ones" clause.

Recently, though, Erie Insurance has introduced its Select bundle, which "includes criminal defense cost reimbursement ... when the insured is found not guilty of the charges." Of coruse there are some hoops, but this is the first time we've seen a major carrier extending this kind of cover.

Kudos, Erie!

[Hat Tip: FoIB Bill M]

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So, we decided it's time for our now-9 month old puppy to finally have free rein (well, mostly) in the back yard. Some 17 years ago, we'd purchased an "invisible fence" type system for her predecessor (this one as a transmitter rather than an in-ground wire). When she passed, we tossed the radio collar (long story).

Fast forward two years, and I go online to buy a emplacement collar. What I didn't know (and failed to check) is that not all such collars (even ones from the same manufacturer) are equal. I soon learned this the hard way.

This weekend was "the" weekend, and I opened up the package, inserted the battery, and powered up. I could tell that the unit was powered on (the little LED blinked just fine), but I couldn't get it to actually work. In desperation, I even read the directions - but alas, no joy.

I called PetSafe's (the manufacturer) 800# helpline, and spoke with a very nice young lady who confirmed that I had purchased the type that goes with the hard-wired system, and suggested I contact the seller to see what could be done.

And so I did, and even though I'd bought the unit in April, and had opened it, they immediately refunded the entire purchase price, and set me up with the correct one (which should arrive tomorrow). I could not be happier.

And just who is this remarkable vendor? Well that would be Chewy.com (from which we've also been buying the little one's food). I just can't say enough good things about them.

Recommended.

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Hahaha.

Bwahahaha!

"In addition to a 15% payroll tax, Sacramento is looking at a 2.3% business tax on gross sales receipts."

Look at that last bit carefully: the new tax is on revenue, not profit.

I'm sure this will pose no problem for California-based businesses.

Totally unrelated: is that Greg Abbot I hear?

But wait, it gets even better (for certain values of "better"):

"The state will also impose a new 2.3% sales tax on top of a statewide average sales tax of 8.44%"

By the way, this is a regressive type of tax, meaning that it will disproportionally affect (ie hurt) the poor.

[Hat Tip: Insty]

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A couple of years ago, I noticed that one of our client's 20 year term policy was about up. As I usually do, I reached out to him to suggest that it might be a good idea to pre-empt the anticipated rate hike (SOP on plans of this type) by looking at either a new plan with a fresh lock-in period, or perhaps considering a permanent plan of some type, either through the conversion option or a new plan altogether.

Or some combination of these.

We went back and forth for a few days, and he ultimately decided to "let it ride."

It's amazing how quickly 20 years flies by: the term lock-in period ended in April, and he missed sending in the new premium; the policy is in immediate danger of lapsing.

Ordinarily this likely wouldn't be the end of the world, but in this case there's a rather significant twist:

When I got in the office yesterday morning, there was a voicemail from Roy asking for my help. I first called Home Office for some info I knew I'd need, then Roy, and suggested that he pay a quarterly premium to buy us time to figure out where to go from here. He asked me about a new term policy, and so I started asking my usual pre-screen questions. Started, and then immediately stopped:

Roy told me that he'd had a bout with prostate cancer last year. After surgery, he's now fine, but he's also now off the market for an underwritten plan (yes, I checked with our primary and another carrier to confirm). We're still exploring options (again, he still has the conversion privilege available), but they're expensive, and there aren't a lot. I did confirm that he still needed the coverage, so we'll have to figure out what's the best alternative.

Of course, the best alternative would have been to have secured new coverage before the cancer. And of course no one knows when or if it'll strike. But as a good friend is fond of saying, we don't buy insurance with our wallets, we buy it with our health.

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The Washington Times is reporting that carriers are now (allegedly) denying life-saving treatment to folks who live in states that have approved assisted suicide:

"A Nevada physician says insurance companies in states where assisted suicide is legal have refused to cover expensive, life-saving treatments for his patients but have offered to help them end their lives instead."

Well first, this is hardly news; regular IB readers have known about this since last fall:

"One young mother says her insurance company denied her coverage for chemotherapy treatment after originally agreeing to provide the fiscal support for it, but indicated it would be willing to pay for assisted suicide instead."

This was in Oregon, one of the states cited in the WT article.

Second, I question why the folks in Nevada want to transfer their patients to other states, especially knowing that they've approved assisted suicide. Seems like almost every other state would offer a better path, no?

And I don't get this: the Patients Rights Action Fund(?) has released a video purporting to prove that carriers just care about the bottom line, not saving lives.

Here's a news flash, PRAF: of course they do. Insurance is a business, and its stakeholders expect a return on their investment. As long as what they do (or don't do) is legal and aboveboard, then that's the extent of their obligation. Do carriers do stupid things? Of course they do (we have a long-running series on Stupid Carrier Tricks).

But this doesn't seem to be one.

[Hat Tip: FoIB Holly R]

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Recently, we reported that The Hawkeye State will be facing a severe shortage of health insurers quite soon:

"Medica, the last insurer selling individual health policies in most of Iowa, likely to exit"

But before that development, Wellmark Blue Cross had already announced their departure from the state's market next go-round. One of the reasons cited was an extreme case involving a claim that (according to Wellmark) is costing the carrier some $1,000,000 a month. As expected, there was some (much?) skepticism about this, but now the carrier's Exec VP has disclosed - at a Des Moines Rotary Club meeting - that the insured is a teen-aged boy with hemophilia.

She didn't mention his name or hometown.

But here's my question: should she have even disclosed this much? I wonder because it seems to me that this comes pretty close to the line regarding disclosure of PHI (personal health information). On the other hand, folks are constantly railing on carriers to "put up or shut up" about the effects of claims on premiums.

On the gripping hand, I just have this feeling that a line was crossed here.

What say y'all?

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As in: Andrew Sprung hosts this week's outstanding collection of posts on health care bloggetry. As expected, lots on the ACA/AHCA, but also interesting posts on the opioid crisis and quality-of-life issues.

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