What Could Go Wrong? Is an elderly parent sick? Could you be called into work? By identifying specific incidents that could arise, you can better evaluate whether insurance is worthwhile. What Coverage Do You Already Have? What parts of your trip are not already covered by your credit card, health insurer, or auto club? How Expensive Is The Trip? Travel insurance is a waste for discount air tickets, but might be worthwhile for a pricey cruise. What Is Already Prepaid Or Nonrefundable? Know what you can realistically expect to get back.

Beyond those four questions, we previously covered nine specific instances when travel insurance might be worth considering. If you decide to get insurance, shop around for the best price, and read the fine print to make sure that the situation you have in mind will be covered.

Bonus-malus system to be enforced on January 1, 2008

The bonus-malus system for the auto liability policies (RCA), which takes into account all the car accidents involving the holder of a policy, will be introduced on January 1st, 2008, in addition to amicable settlements, say representatives of the Insurance Supervision Commission (CSA).

"We have a proposal to modify the insurance law, which will be enacted by an ordinance of the Government. We are currently deciding in cooperation with insurance companies on the terms of the amicable settlement form," stated Angela Toncescu, CSA chairperson.

An amicable settlement does not involve the police in the case of minor car accidents, with both of the insured parties reporting the accidents directly to their insurance companies. .

MetLife Resources and MetLife Securities Enter into New Alliance ...

NEW YORK-(Business Wire)-August 2, 2007 - MetLife Resources, a division of MetLife, and MetLife Securities, Inc., an investment adviser and broker-dealer affiliate of MetLife, announced today that they have entered into a new alliance with ProManage, LLC, a registered investment adviser that specializes in providing managed accounts services for 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans. Through this alliance, ProManage will offer its managed accounts to qualified retirement and 403(b) plans sponsored by non-profit organizations and governed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) for which MetLife Resources provides administrative services.

Call option: Bajaj to hold talks with Allianz

Six years ago Rahul Bajaj along with his four cousins decided to take a plunge into insurance by joining hands with European insurance major Allianz.

A good business decision then, but now Rahul Bajaj is being haunted by his decision to allow Allianz to use the call option to hike stake in the life insurance joint venture to 74 per cent something which the markets have already punished his stock for and there is still no scope of a renegotiations.

"They didn't agree, I am meeting them next month in Europe. In hindsight I feel we should not have agreed to let them hike stake in the life insurance business to 74 per cent. We should have instead given them the option to hike stake to 50 per cent in both the life and general insurance business," said Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto.