Mississippi governor Haley Barbour vetoed a bill that would have set up a state-run verification system to identify and ticket uninsured motorists. According to 2009 research from the Insurance Research Council, Mississippi’s uninsured-driver rates are among the highest in the nation. The IRC estimated that in 2007 28 percent of Mississippi’s drivers didn’t have coverage.

According to a news release, Gov. Barbour says he’s open to an amended version of the legislation because he does not oppose the concept of a verification. “Once the language in the bill is cleaned up, these agencies will be able to develop a workable system to verify motor vehicle liability insurance coverage of the vehicles on the highway. Toward that end, I am amenable to including this in the next special session,” Barbour told Insurance Journal.

The verification system would be a statewide database that contains insurance policy information from insurers. It would be matched up with registration information so that law enforcement officers could get the information quickly in the field. Gov. Barbour told reporters that he needs more information about the cost of the system and the new requirements by the Department of Public Safety.

Two-thirds of renters don’t have renters insurance. But if there’s a fire, a robbery or a burst pipe it may be the only way you’ll recoup what you lose. And for those worried about the cost of paying for renter’s insurance, it’s important to keep in mind that policies often cover more than just what’s inside your home at the time of loss. For instance, according to the Detroit News, if your laptop is stolen out of your car, the computer may be covered under your policy. Or if a broken pipe damages your neighbor’s ceiling below those repairs could also be covered.

Rose Lichter-March, 28, learned the hard way that renter’s insurance is more of a necessity than a bonus. A fire in another apartment left her stuff smelling like smoke and cleaning cost her thousands. “They would have put me up in a hotel, paid for my cleaning and moving fees and even the broker’s fee for a new place,” Lichter-Marck told the Detroit News.

So just how much can you expect to pay for a policy? About the cost of one large pizza a month say experts. Most people don’t think their belongings are worth insuring, but experts say that’s not true. “If something were to happen, it’s going to cost a lot more than people imagine to replace dishes, computers, a big-screen TV, clothing,” Ben Rabinowitz, an agent with Allstate Insurance Co. in Pikesville, Md., told the Detroit News. “It begins to really add up.”

According to the US Fire Administration, residential fires are more common during the winter months than any other time of year. That’s because there is an increase in cooking and heating fires. Plus many people turn to space heaters to save money which lead to fires if used improperly. According to a news release from RenterInsurance.net, typically 16 causes of destruction are covered by rental insurance including:

• Fire or Lightning
• Windstorm or hail
• Explosion
• Riot or Civil Commotion
• Aircraft damages
• Vehicle damages
• Smoke
• Vandalism
• Malicious mischief
• Theft
• Volcanic eruption
• Falling objects
• Weight of ice or snow or sleet

Travel insurance, like other types of insurance, is a necessary expense. Without it you could end up paying a lot more if something goes wrong. Travel insurance includes many different types of coverage, but there are details that you need to know before buying any policy.

You wouldn’t think that your dog would be such a major consideration when buying homeowners insurance, but it can be. Your dog, and its breed specifically, can affect your insurance premiums just as surely as the age of your house can. You want to go into this situation fully informed of the weight that your dog can carry in your insurance company’s determination of your rates and how you should approach this matter as a whole.

If you are the proud new owner of a classic or antique car, you will want to take the best care of it that you possibly can. You may be wondering about insurance for your classic car. Generally, classic car insurance is not as expensive as regular automobile insurance. Some insurance agents are unclear about what is required for these beauties. They will try to sell you a regular, basic auto insurance policy. But, insurance coverage on a classic car is different than the coverage you would choose for a car that you drive every day.