Independent consumer education
Consumer guides from the filings, not the ads
Insurance, credit, and lending in plain English. Figures come from federal series and from what carriers file with regulators. We name a company when a filing or a complaint record names it. We do not rank carriers.
Browse guides
What moves a premium, and which levers actually lower one.
How much coverage a household needs, and for how long.
What a debt costs, and which balance to clear first.
Both insurance guides, and why they are kept apart.
Who writes this, how it is sourced, and how it is funded.
Top story
-
Dealer-Sold vs Third-Party VSCs: Price, Cancellation, Who Stands Behind the Claim
Who is the obligor, who administers claims, and who is the backup insurer matter more than the logo on the brochure. Compare dealer-sold and third-party vehicle service contracts on price, cancel rights, and claim backup.
More coverage
Latest Guides
-
Buy now, pay later: the rule that vanished, and what still covers you
The CFPB published a rule in 2024 treating these accounts as credit cards, then withdrew it in 2025.…
-
Medigap Open Enrollment at 65: The One Window Underwriting Cannot Touch
Your federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period is six months long, starts when you are 65 or older and…
-
Household money leaks in 2026: nine spots federal data flags
Credit card accounts assessed interest run at 22.15 percent. Savings pay 0.38 percent. Energy rose 14.7 percent in…
-
When an Extended Warranty Pays (and When Repair Savings Wins)
An extended warranty only wins if covered repairs, after deductibles and denials, beat what you paid. Here is…
-
What final expense insurance pays for: cash to beneficiaries, not a funeral voucher
A final expense death benefit is life insurance cash. Beneficiaries can use it for funeral costs, medical bills,…
-
Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage: The Trade That Actually Matters
Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage deliver the same Part A and Part B entitlement differently. Provider choice, prior…
-
Working Past 65 With Medicare: Current Employment, the 8-Month SEP, and What COBRA Does Not Fix
If you or your spouse still work and have group health coverage based on that current employment, you…
-
Homeowners insurance: questions worth asking before you bind
The NAIC counted 715 homeowners carriers in 2024, and found more than half of the insurers in each…
-
Short-term health plans 2026: the rule on paper vs what is enforced
A federal rule caps these plans at four months. Federal regulators said in August 2025 they will not…
-
No win, no fee: what the contingency agreement actually locks in
Congress capped personal injury contingency fees in exactly one situation, at 20 or 25 percent, and it applies…
-
No employer health coverage in 2026: start with these checks
The enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025 and the 400 percent subsidy cliff is…
-
Medicare in 2026: what Parts A, B, C, and D actually pay
Part A and Part B are the program. Part D is bolted on. Part C is a delivery…
Browse by topic
How we work
Every guide explains how a product category works: the mechanics, the typical costs, and the questions worth asking before you commit. Figures come from federal agencies and state regulators, and each article lists its sources. Read our editorial and review policy
How we are funded
ConsumersWeek is supported by advertising and affiliate partnerships. We disclose how we make money, label sponsored content clearly, and keep paid placements separate from editorial conclusions. Read our advertiser disclosure