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The <keyword id="20771894" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deposit-Insurance-and-Credit-Guarantee-Corporation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation">Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation</keyword> (<keyword id="20481418" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="DICGC" source="keywords">DICGC</keyword>) has launched an online tool <keyword id="23086289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Daava-Soochak" source="keywords">Daava Soochak</keyword> for <keyword id="20560967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="depositors" source="keywords">depositors</keyword> to track their claim status. The DICGC's mandate since its inception has been the reimbursement of insured amounts to depositors of failed banks. Daava Soochak, a user-friendly online tool, is part of DICGC's ongoing commitment to improving the services provided for depositors. "Depositors can now track the status of their claims by entering their mobile number (registered with their bank) on the DICGC website," said DICGC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>). To begin with, depositors can view the status of their claims for banks placed under All Inclusive Directions (AID) post-April 01, 2024. The corporation ensures that all categories of deposits with banks except institutional deposits. The <keyword id="20132734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deposit-insurance" source="keywords">deposit insurance</keyword> coverage limit has been enhanced six times since 1962, from Rs 1,500 per depositor held in the same right and same capacity at all the branches of the insured bank to Rs 5,00,000 on February 04, 2020. At present, 97.8% of the total deposit accounts are fully protected. Of the remaining 2.2 % of accounts, deposits are insured up to the limit of Rs 5 lakh. In terms of value, 43.1 % of the deposits were insured as of March 2024. In the case of liquidated banks and banks under the Reserve Bank's All-Inclusive Directions (AIDs), the DICGC settled claims amounting to Rs 1,432 crore during 2023-24. During the year, it received repayments of Rs 900.73 crore, of which Rs 760.83 crore was from liquidated/transferee banks and Rs 139.90 crore from banks under AID. All banks operating in India are registered with the corporation for deposit insurance. The number of banks registered with DICGC was 1,997 as of March 31, 2024, of which 140 were commercial banks and 1,857 were cooperative banks. The total premium received by the corporation during 2023-24 stood at Rs 23,879 crore, with commercial banks contributing 94.4% and cooperative banks accounting for the remaining 5.6 %.

DICGC introduces Daava Soochak for depositors to track claim status

Life Insurance Corporation of India (<keyword id="19903588" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="LIC" source="keywords">LIC</keyword>) MD and CEO Siddhartha Mohanty has said that the corporation is looking to make fresh investments of around Rs 1.30 lakh crore in equities during the current financial year. During April-June FY25, the insurance behemoth made an investment of about Rs 38,000 crore in <keyword id="19907577" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shares" source="keywords">shares</keyword> as against Rs 23,300 crore in the same period a year ago. LIC earned a profit of Rs 15,500 crore from its investments in equity markets during the first quarter. The profit from its investment was higher by 13.5 % quarter-on-quarter. "We are surely looking at the markets and price movements...we are looking to invest a good amount at least whatever we had invested in last financial year...LIC invested around Rs 1.32 lakh crore in FY'24," he said. The <keyword id="19913381" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="market" source="keywords">market</keyword> value of LIC's investment in stocks of various <keyword id="20027214" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="companies" source="keywords">companies</keyword> stood at around Rs 15 lakh crore at the end of June, he said. LIC has exposure in 282 companies through investment in their shares as of June 30, 2024. The <keyword id="20340200" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="assets-under-management" source="keywords">Assets Under Management</keyword> (<keyword id="20019621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AUM" source="keywords">AUM</keyword>) increased to Rs 53,58,781 crore as of June-end as compared to Rs 46,11,067 crore at the end of the same quarter the previous year, registering an increase of 16.22 %. Total investment grew by Rs 7,30,662 crore, from Rs 42,44,852 crore in March 2023 to Rs 49,75,514 crore as of March 31, 2024. The total equity investment portfolio constitutes Rs 12,39,740 crore as against Rs 8,39,662 crore in 2022-23, whereas other investments constitute Rs 37,35,774 crore as against Rs 34,05,190 crore in 2022-23. For the June quarter 2024, LIC reported a 10% increase in net profit to Rs 10,461 crore as against Rs 9,544 crore in the year-ago period. Total income increased to Rs 2,10,910 crore during the latest June quarter as against Rs 1,88,749 crore in the year-ago period. Total premium income for the quarter increased 16 % to Rs 1,13,770 crore as compared to Rs 98,363 crore in the same quarter a year ago.

LIC to invest around Rs 1.30 lakh crore in stock market in FY25

New Delhi: Shares of <keyword id="19903587" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Life-Insurance-Corporation-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Life Insurance Corporation of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Life Insurance Corporation of India">Life Insurance Corporation of India</keyword> (<keyword id="6367143" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="LIC" source="Orion">LIC</keyword>) climbed 3 per cent on Friday after the company reported a 10 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 10,461 crore in the June 2024 quarter. The stock jumped 3 per cent to Rs 1,159.60 on the <keyword id="19895774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE" source="keywords">BSE</keyword>. At the NSE, it climbed 3 per cent to Rs 1,160 apiece. The state-owned life insurance behemoth had a net profit of Rs 9,544 crore in the year-ago period. The total income increased to Rs 2,10,910 crore during the latest June quarter as against Rs 1,88,749 crore in the year-ago period, LIC said in a regulatory filing on Thursday. <keyword id="22725292" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lic-md" source="keywords">LIC MD</keyword> and CEO Siddhartha Mohanty said the Assets Under Management (AUM) increased to Rs 53,58,781 crore as on June 30, as compared to Rs 46,11,067 crore at the end of same quarter previous year, registering an increase of 16.22 per cent. The total premium income for the quarter increased by 16 per cent to Rs 1,13,770 crore, as compared to Rs 98,363 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Asked about entry into the health insurance business, he said, LIC is exploring the option of picking up majority stakes in a standalone health insurance company.

LIC shares climb 3 percent after earnings announcement

Shares of state-owned behemoth Life Insurance Corporation (<keyword id="19903588" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="LIC" source="keywords">LIC</keyword>) have outperformed rivals like <keyword id="20079495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Life" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Life" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Life">HDFC Life</keyword> and <keyword id="21278696" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICICI-Prudential-Life" source="keywords">ICICI Prudential Life</keyword>, as it placed bets on India's growth sectors, including infrastructure, while the private sector concentrated its bets on tech, consumer and consumer-related <keyword id="19910880" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BFSI" source="keywords">BFSI</keyword> companies. LIC's stock has gained nearly 79% from Rs 620 on June 18, 2023, to Rs 1,109.15 at the closing on Tuesday, according to stock exchange data. In contrast, HDFC Life gave a negative return with Tuesday's closing price of Rs 646.55 on the BSE as compared to Rs 666.55 a year back. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co delivered a return of 12%, considering its stock price rise from Rs 582 on June 18, 2023, to Rs 654.10 on June 16, 2024. Over the past one year, <keyword id="19898108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI" source="keywords">SBI</keyword> Life Insurance shares have risen from Rs 1,314 to Rs 1,621.20, delivering a return of 23%. Capital market analysts said <keyword id="19935977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="insurance-companies" source="keywords">insurance companies</keyword> make money in two ways - charging premiums for policies and then investing the premiums into assets. It is the latter that generates the bigger delta in profits, thus impacting value creation and managing risks. Global majors, including Warren Buffet-owned Berkshire Hathaway, have been successful due to their ability to make superior investments. Most Indian insurance companies are yet to capitalise on the emergence of the country's <keyword id="19997284" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="infrastructure-sector" source="keywords">infrastructure sector</keyword>, analysts said. Indian insurance companies have concentrated investments in the BFSI, IT, and consumer sectors - all of which have been underperformers in the recent past. Only 8-10% of their investments are in the infrastructure sector. This is far less when compared to global standards. Large global insurance companies -- such as Allianz, Nippon Life Insurance, and Metlife, and other insurers like Berkshire Hathaway -- have much larger exposure ranging from 15 to 30% to the infrastructure sector, analysts noted. Over the past few years, global insurers have been increasingly considering infrastructure investments as 'core' investments as the stable and long-term cash flows of infrastructure assets naturally align with the liabilities of insurers. Additionally, infrastructure assets have defensive characteristics of high barriers to entry, strong pricing power, structural growth, and predictive cash flows, and listed infrastructure can provide investors with inflation-protected income and solid capital growth. <h2>Infra sector outperforming all</h2>For India, a strong government focus on the sector with large spending, supporting initiatives and encouraging policies, and improving governance has helped the infrastructure industry has come of age. This has helped the infra sector to outperform all other sectors, according to analysts. They said the high focus on retail loans, and the strategic reluctance to look at infrastructure for growth opportunities is proving detrimental for the shareholders of such companies. SBI, with its higher exposure to the infrastructure sector, has seen its stock gain 48% in the year (from Rs 592 to Rs 880.95 on Tuesday), while those of its private counterparts HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank have gained only in the range of (-)3%to 24%. Kotak and HDFC Banks with negligible exposure to the infrastructure sector are the worst performing, with their shares giving a negative return, stock exchange data showed. Kotak Mahindra Bank shares were at Rs 1,895 on June 18, 2023, and closed at Rs 1,805.20 on Tuesday. HDFC Bank closed at Rs 1,619.20 on BSE on Tuesday, down from Rs 1,679 a year back.

Exposure to India's infra sector helps LIC, SBI outshine peers

With heavy, torrential rains currently lashing south India, particularly Bangalore and Chennai, life in these metros has reached a complete standstill. While there is little you can do to control nature's ongoing fury, you can safeguard your precious two- and four-wheelers, which have little respite or protection from the ongoing vagaries of rains and floods. During heavy rains, the first in line of damage is your vehicle's engine, which could cost you a bomb! If the water enters the engine's cylinder, it can cause it to seize and leave it beyond repair. Another common damage your vehicles can face during such times is <keyword id="23605837" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electrical-failure" source="keywords">electrical failure</keyword> since water seepage can cause shorting of the electrical components, including the battery, alternator, and wiring systems. Then there's moisture seepage, which can affect your vehicle's braking and fuel systems. <h2><keyword id="20224622" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="motor-insurance" source="keywords">Motor Insurance</keyword> to the Rescue</h2> While a comprehensive motor insurance policy might protect you against accidents, thefts, and other third-party liabilities, they might fall short when it comes to safeguarding your vehicles from damages caused by natural calamities like heavy rain. As such, you can opt for a few add-ons over and above your regular motor policy to ensure you don't end up spending a hefty amount from your pockets if your vehicles need repair. "In Chennai and Bangalore, the recent heavy rains have led to several challenges, causing multiple vehicles and home damage. Urban flooding is a phenomenon now being witnessed in most metropolitan cities. Cases of vehicles being swept away in floods have also been seen, leading to total loss" Vivek Chaturvedi, CMO and Head of Direct Sales, Go Digit General Insurance "While comprehensive motor insurance policies protect your vehicle against damage from natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, and heavy rains, you should consider add-on covers like engine protection, zero depreciation, <keyword id="22024865" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="roadside-assistance" source="keywords">roadside assistance</keyword>, return to invoice, and consumables. These options help cover the costs of repairing or replacing vehicle parts and any injuries or damage from accidents," he continues. Here's a ready reckoner of all add-ons you can consider: 1. <keyword id="23605835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="engine-protection-cover" source="keywords">Engine Protection Cover</keyword>: This cover protects your wallet from costly repairs in case your vehicle's engine is severely damaged. 2. Zero Depreciation Cover/Bumper-to-Bumper Cover: While servicing your claims, insurers generally deduct depreciation or regular wear and tear on your vehicle. This add-on guarantees you a claim without any deduction for wears and tears. 3. Roadside Assistance Cover: You never know when your vehicle might be stalled. This cover offers repair at the site, towing, and alternative travel if one’s car is stuck on waterlogged roads. It can also include services like fuel delivery, battery replacement, or flat tire repair. 4. Tire Protection Cover: It offers repair or replacement of tires damaged due to cuts, bursts, or bulges during wet, hazardous conditions. Says Kalpesh Chavan, Senior Vice President &amp; Product Head of Elephant (Corporate Insurance Wing of Alliance Insurance Brokers), "EV owners should additionally also opt for battery protection cover and electric surge secure add-on. This add-on protects the electronic pieces and circuits of electric vehicles from any short circuits, electrical arcing, or leakage, especially through water entry." <h2>Don't crank up the engine. </h2>Got a vehicle that's flooded with water? Don't try to start it forcefully. If you do so, the insurance company can decline your claim for all the damage caused by attempting to start such a flooded engine. Your best bet in such cases is to wait till the water subsides and then try revving up the engine. Chavan adds that most car owners need to take into account how disaster-prone their area is and end up estimating the wrong coverage amount for their cars. Inadequate study of the terms and conditions of the policy may lead to claim rejections when most needed. But most importantly, if your vehicle's insurance is up for renewal, do not delay or procrastinate to do the same. Or else your car could become uninsured during the most critical periods. Maintaining up-to-date records and documentation is of the essence; missing documents may trigger unwarranted delays in the processing of claims.

Facing vehicle damage during heavy rains? Here's how motor insurance can come to your rescue

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Rains from Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding in western North Carolina, devastating communities.</li><li>But less than 3% of properties in the state have flood insurance, leaving many unprotected.</li></ul>Torrential rains from Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on western North Carolina last week, with flooding that has devastated local communities, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/01/rescue-relief-and-recovery-operations-continue-western-north-carolina">killed dozens in the state</a>, left many residents <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/01/rescue-relief-and-recovery-operations-continue-western-north-carolina">without running water or power</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-helene-hits-asheville-beer-microbreweries-north-carolina-floods-2024-9">uprooted businesses</a>, and destroyed homes.Rainfall collected by at least a dozen weather stations in the region, including near Asheville, reached their highest-ever 3-day totals during the event, ranging from nearly 13 inches to over 31 inches, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/09/rapid-reaction-historic-flooding-follows-helene-in-western-nc/">according to a report from the North Carolina State Climate Office</a>.<div type="image" title="image of flooded street in Asheville, NC" height="4708" width="7054" msid="113922495" hostid="261" sizebytes="2725582"></div>But only about 2.6% of the 4.3 million properties across the state — or around 115,000 properties — had flood insurance as of June 2024, according to private provider Neptune Flood Insurance, which analyzed data from the government-backed National Flood Insurance Program. And that's a 2.5% year-over-year coverage decrease from June 2023, Neptune said.North Carolina Department of Insurance communications director Jason Tyson estimated that about 139,000 properties in the state have flood insurance through the NFIP.Neither estimate includes private flood insurance. But the number of private flood insurance policies in the US is small compared to the amount of NFIP policies, according to a 2023 report from independent insurance <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/private-flood-insurance-vs-nfip/#:~:text=Most%20policies%20are%20provided%20and,and%20availability%20of%20additional%20coverages.">provider PolicyGenius</a>.The North Carolina Joint Information Center told Business Insider that it's still too early to provide estimates on the number of buildings damaged or the total cost of the damages.<div type="image" title="image of destroyed home" height="5504" width="8256" msid="113922496" hostid="261" sizebytes="5511238"></div>Federal disaster assistance does help people who lost their homes with mortgage payments, home loans, or bill payments. But without flood insurance, many homeowners may be left with a significant financial burden. Part of the problem with flood insurance is a common misconception that regular home insurance covers flooding, which is rarely the case, four experts knowledgable about flood insurance and disaster management told Business Insider."They just think that, 'Oh, yeah, I have insurance. I have homeowner's insurance. I have State Farm or whatever. That must cover it,'" Trevor Burgess, the President &amp; CEO of Neptune Flood Insurance, told BI. "And it doesn't. They have to buy a separate policy."Another factor influencing why so few people have flood insurance is that it's not required for everyone — only homes and businesses with government-backed mortgages in areas that are designated high-risk flood zones are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.floodsmart.gov/am-i-required-have-flood-insurance">legally required to have flood insurance</a>."One of the biggest drivers of whether or not people get flood insurance is whether or not they're required to have it," Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, a research scholar and director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia Climate School, told BI."So if you don't live in one of these areas, one of these floodplains that trigger that, then a lot of people just simply don't get flood insurance," Schlegelmilch added.Margaret Walls, a senior fellow and director of the Climate Risks and Resilience Program at nonprofit research institute Resources for the Future, said that people also wrongly believe that if they're not in a high-risk flood area, then they're not at risk."It's not a lot of homes that are in those designated floodplains relative to the total number of homes, but there's still a lot of flood risks," Walls said. "And this is one of the biggest issues in the flood world is that the mapped areas where FEMA says you're supposed to have flood insurance policy are not the areas that are all risky. There are plenty of areas where you're at risk outside of those mapped areas."Walls explained that people don't understand their actual risks."They think that the map is telling them their risks," Walls said. "It's actually not. It's just telling them where they have to have a mandatory purchase of a flood insurance policy. But it's not saying that you're zero risk when you're outside of that area. And as climate changes happening, those risks are going up."And the areas devastated by flooding in western North Carolina were largely not considered to be high-risk flood areas. The State of North Carolina's Flood Risk Information System designates many of the counties in the region that were most affected by flooding after Helene as "minimal flood risk," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://flood.nc.gov/ncflood/">according to a map on their website</a>."We almost always associate flood risk with hurricanes and coastal storm surge in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas," Jeremy Porter, who leads climate implication research at First Street, a public-benefit corporation that evaluates climate risk, told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-hurricane-helene-flooding-north-carolina-f49b2a6bf2b549473e0211f883332592">The Associated Press</a>. "We don't think of western North Carolina and the Appalachian mountains as an area that has significant flood risk."And the perception that a certain place is safe from flooding contributes to the problem, Schlegelmilch suggested."This is one of those things we look at areas like Asheville, North Carolina, that were thought of as climate havens, where people thought, 'Well, I'm going to escape the worst of climate change and I'm going to move there,'" Schlegelmilch said. "And unfortunately, this is just an important reminder that we cannot outrun this."Having insurance to protect your home and mitigate your financial risks is an important step, and more people need to take that precaution, Schlegelmilch said, a sentiment that Walls and Burgess also echoed.Yanjun Liao, an economist and fellow at Resources for the Future, added that people should be prepared for even unexpected flood events, like what happened in western North Carolina."I definitely think that a lot more people need flood insurance," Liao said. "Oftentimes even people who are living outside of the flood zones, the 100-year flood zones and sometimes outside 500-year flood zones, can face these kind of unexpected flood damage."Liao said that the cost of flood insurance can be burdensome, particularly for those who live in more disaster-prone areas. But the alternative may be even more costly: rebuilding after a devastating storm.

A majority of North Carolina homeowners didn't have flood insurance. Then Helene hit.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After years of struggles, chip giant Intel is in the midst of mass <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-qualcomm-takeover-bid-layoffs-foundry-spin-off-2024-9">layoffs and buyouts</a>.</li><li>Some longtime Intel employees are eligible for up to 19 months of severance.</li></ul>When searching for a wedding planner, most couples don't check for a doctorate. But the brides of greater Portland are about to have that option.Shi Choong got her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry in 2018, and for the last six and a half years she's worked at Intel improving processes and training for the company's Oregon fab — a factory where Intel's chips are produced. She's one of the thousands of Intel employees who recently took the voluntary severance packages the company made available ahead of a long-forecasted round of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-qualcomm-takeover-bid-layoffs-foundry-spin-off-2024-9">15,000 layoffs and buyouts</a>, which began this month.After years of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-turnaround-plan-aws-2024-9#:~:text=Revenue%20last%20quarter%20was%20down,shares%20falling%20by%20over%2025%25.">layoffs, buyouts</a>, and even <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-takes-pay-cut-reduce-costs-prevent-layoffs-2023-2#:~:text=Intel's%20CEO%20and%20members%20of,Intel%20said%20in%20a%20statement.">one temporary pay cut</a>, many employees have thought about what they might do after Intel. Its severance package, which reportedly offers five weeks of pay for every year of service up to 19 months total, pushed some to jump.Though plenty of Intel alums are expressing trepidation about an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-cant-find-job-tech-blames-racial-discrimination-ai-2024-9">uncertain job market</a>, some departing Intel insiders are fashioning entirely new lives for themselves — 180 degrees from corporate life.Choong has been coordinating weddings and modeling outside of her Intel work hours for the last three years. She specializes in nontraditional, heavily themed weddings. This <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/furry-fandom-big-tech-software-developers-2022-3">kind of nerdery</a> often goes hand in hand with the concentrated tech talent in places like the San Francisco Bay area or Portland. She saw the buyout opportunity and the severance that came with it, as a sign to take her side hustle full-time."To me, it's Christmas come early. It's a wish come true," Choong told Business Insider.BI spoke to three former Intel employees who are using the company's hard times as an opportunity to upend their lives.<h2 id="bc1c7975-8847-4cfc-b408-e6b24752f181">Intel lifers head out on their own</h2>"I'm feeling awesome," Javier Apostol told BI from the balcony of a beachside resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, two weeks after his last day as a software applications engineering manager at Intel.He joined Intel in Arizona right after finishing his undergraduate degree and stayed for nearly 29 years. Intel was the only company he ever worked for as an adult.Apostol's first job was picking fruit in the fields of Yuma County, California, alongside his parents. Eventually, his dad started doing workforce development for migrants and then tax preparation for Spanish-speaking workers and agricultural contractors.When one of his dad's clients was audited, Apostol, who had started to learn how to program computers, turned handwritten mileage records into a neat chart. The IRS agents told him it was the best they'd ever seen, and Apostol got hooked on computers.Apostol joined Intel in 1996. From inside Intel, he's seen every phase of the internet since nearly the beginning. He said a longer lens gives him perspective.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-struggles-qualcomm-deal-chip-industry-turmoil-2024-9">Intel's situation</a> is no great tragedy, according to Apostol."The world is just changing and that is good. Intel will ultimately find its place where it needs to be," he said. After a vacation, Apostol is sticking with semiconductors, but he and some colleagues are headed in a more entrepreneurial direction.Though Intel has struggled to maintain its once leading-edge status, Apostol said there is a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-ai-chip-semiconductors-tsmc-intel-jobs-arizona-2024-2">window of creativity</a> in the semiconductor space that he hasn't seen in a long time as investors and consumers alike become aware of the vital role of chips in their everyday lives."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-competition-sambanova-groq-cerebras-show-faster-inference-speed-2024-9">Chip design</a> is going to explode," Apostol said. He and five colleagues who also took the buyouts want to apply their expertise in chip-making consulting for businesses and even <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sovereign-clouds-explained-data-center-ai-national-security-vultr-2024-10">countries</a> looking to enter the industry.At 54 years old, and with both of his kids in college and away from home, he has the time and the energy to take the leap, he said. He hopes Intel finds its way to similar boldness again."If I worry about anything it's Intel becoming complacent and deciding to think small — to stop looking for the next great thing," Apostol said.<h2 id="22be38cf-517d-4e34-a89c-5f46756eb17e">Turning a good living into a good retirement</h2>Sumit Guha, a former transfer technology manager at Intel, is founding a new venture too, but with more altruistic aims.Over his 24 years at Intel, Guha used his spare time to develop a wealth management strategy based on the philosophies of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-warren-buffe">Warren Buffet</a>.He's shared his strategy with friends and colleagues over the years, but it wasn't until his 86-year-old mother was sold a fraudulent insurance policy that he considered scaling his efforts up. He fought for two years to get her money back, and that wasn't the first time his parents had been the victims of dubious financial providers."My goal is to teach seniors how to detect financial fraud. I have witnessed this myself. Old people are targets," Guha said. He plans to start studying to become a Certified Financial Planner soon, with the aim of providing free tax services to older adults and eventually starting a nonprofit organization that helps them manage and grow their finances.As Guha, 60, approaches retirement age, he's become increasingly worried about the state of his peers' <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-x-baby-boomers-savings-cant-afford-retirement-2024-4">retirement accounts</a>. AARP estimates that 20% of Americans over the age of 50 have no retirement savings at all.Intel still offers some of the benefits much of the tech world has long eschewed. For example, spreading out the timeline for paid sabbaticals has been one of the perks downgraded in the current era of cutbacks. But for Guha, some of his longevity benefits with Intel have kicked in recently, and the company accelerated stock grants set to be issued in December as a 'thank you' for enduring <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-takes-pay-cut-reduce-costs-prevent-layoffs-2023-2#:~:text=Intel's%20CEO%20and%20members%20of,Intel%20said%20in%20a%20statement.">2023's pay cuts</a> for those who took the buyout option."It's a gift for me to pull the trigger now," Guha said. He plans to offer tax services, financial fraud awareness, and investment advice with the aim of helping Americans achieve a safe and comfortable retirement, even if they started saving late in the game.<h2 id="7bec7e59-5a0c-4aa0-bd49-7e9d5e9b7d2f">Lessons learned at Intel</h2>Though several departing Intel employees expressed some frustration with the current state of the company, they still believe it can be successful. And they're taking some of the values and skills they picked up there with them. The company always valued continuous training, said Apostol.Choong said many of the skills she learned at Intel will transfer to her new life. Engineers are organized and good at dealing with complexity — the kind that comes with a wedding that starts in formalwear and ends with the entire party wearing animal onesies, for example.Choong also learned how to speak up for herself at Intel, especially when training in the fabs. This comes in handy when dealing with sketchy wedding vendors, she said."I have grown tremendously. I used to cry in my office because someone spoke loudly at me. I'm fearless now," Choong said.Are you leaving Intel too? Or sticking around? Got a tip or an insight to share? Contact BI's senior reporter Emma Cosgrove at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:ecosgrove@businessinsider.com">ecosgrove@businessinsider.com</a> or use the secure messaging app Signal: 443-333-9088.

Life after Intel: After rounds of layoffs and buyouts, some Intel insiders are abandoning the corporate grind altogether

<keyword id="19922074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank">Reserve Bank</keyword> Deputy Governor <keyword id="19918795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swaminathan" source="keywords">Swaminathan</keyword> J on Wednesday said implementation of <keyword id="22784242" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="risk-based-premium" source="keywords">risk-based premium</keyword> for <keyword id="20132734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deposit-insurance" source="keywords">deposit insurance</keyword> merits consideration as it will ensure that institutions with higher risk profiles contribute more to the insurance fund. Speaking at a conference in Jaipur, he also said that as the financial sector becomes more digitised, deposit insurers must work closely with regulators and supervisors to strengthen oversight mechanisms. This includes regularly updating <keyword id="19946068" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="regulatory-frameworks" source="keywords">regulatory frameworks</keyword> to incorporate emerging risks associated with <keyword id="19989657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payments" source="keywords">digital payments</keyword>, <keyword id="19906883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="keywords">cybersecurity</keyword>, and <keyword id="22180855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fintech-innovations" source="keywords">fintech innovations</keyword>. By adopting a proactive stance, deposit insurers can help ensure that <keyword id="19912054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-institutions" source="keywords">financial institutions</keyword> under their purview are adequately prepared to manage these risks, thereby safeguarding depositor confidence. Swaminathan was addressing the International Conference of the International Association of Deposit Insurers- Asia Pacific Regional Committee (IADI-APRC) hosted by the Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). He further said the implementation of risk-based premium for deposit insurance "merits consideration". "By tying insurance premiums to the level of risk posed by individual financial institutions, deposit insurers can incentivize banks to adopt stronger risk management practices. "This approach not only enhances the overall stability of the financial system but also ensures that institutions with higher risk profiles contribute more to the insurance fund," the deputy governor said. He also emphasised that deposit insurers can further mitigate technology risks by relying on supervisory rating assessments that incorporate evaluation of a financial institution's technological and operational resilience. By using these assessments as a basis for setting insurance premiums or determining intervention strategies, deposit insurers can ensure that their actions are informed by a comprehensive understanding of each institution's risk profile, Swaminathan added. The senior <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> official also asked deposit insurers to prioritise crisis preparedness and develop comprehensive contingency plans that account for technology-induced disruptions. This includes conducting regular stress tests and simulations to assess the potential impact of cyber incidents or fintech failures on financial institutions and the broader financial system, he said. The evolving technological landscape presents both significant challenges and opportunities for deposit insurers. By adopting a proactive, risk-based approach, including enhanced oversight, risk-based premiums, reliance on supervisory ratings, faster claim settlements, and industry collaboration, deposit insurers can effectively manage these risks, the deputy governor said.

Risk-based premium for deposit insurance merits consideration: RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Anaïs Felt took a "micro-retirement" back in March from her Silicon Valley tech job.</li><li>The time off on her extended leave healed her burnout and changed her relationship to work, she said.</li></ul>Anaïs Felt was exhausted at the start of the year.As a senior product manager at a Silicon Valley tech firm, Felt, 31, commuted an hour to and from her home in San Francisco each day. Her hours in the office on top of a two-hour commute were a stark contrast to the work-life balance she had when she worked remotely during the pandemic."I would come home and be so exhausted that I would just lay on the couch to recuperate, eat dinner, and then go to bed," she said of her routine. "I didn't have the energy to go for a run or spend time with my partner or laugh."It wasn't just the commute wearing on Felt. She told Business Insider that she was also finding work itself more stressful, which came as a surprise to her being 10 years into her career in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktoker-sparked-conversation-not-able-to-leave-work-early-2024-3">corporate America.</a>"I was crying a lot," she said. "I had a harder time moving through difficult situations at work."Felt decided to meet with a career coach, who quickly "diagnosed" her with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burnout-is-now-a-clinical-syndrome-2019-5">burnout</a>, a syndrome due to "chronic workplace stress."The diagnosis was a welcome confirmation since Felt recognized the symptoms after reading "Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle" by Emily and Amelia Nagoski and Mckinsey's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace-2023">2023 Women in the Workplace</a> report. She knew experience wasn't uncommon in<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mental-health-crisis-great-resignation-tech-industry-silicon-valley-2022-4"> Silicon Valley, particularly for women.</a>Rather than trying to power through her stress or leave tech altogether, Felt decided to take what she called a micro-retirement — or extended break — to address her burnout.<h2 id="eda9f511-a527-4394-ad17-9bf9f3039ece">Taking a break</h2>Felt spent her 20s prioritizing her career, she told BI. She was the first person in her family to attend college, starting her first business when she was an undergrad at Hope College in Michigan. After she graduated from the liberal arts college, her early adult years solely revolved around her job."I was brought up in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rise-and-fall-girl-boss-analysis-2020-7">girlboss</a> era," she said. "I worked extremely hard and was high-achieving."But a decade later as Felt came to terms with her burnout and thought about what she wanted out of the next phase of her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-big-tech-dream-job-pay-perks-not-worth-it-2024-5">career</a>, she decided she needed to take a break from work before moving forward."It felt like it would be good for me — but also good for my future employer — if I went into my next role feeling fully energized and feeling conviction in that next step," she said.Felt <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-job-travel-after-stress-burnout-at-big-tech-company-2024-8">quit her job</a> in March with the intention of taking up to a year off, thinking of her break as a micro-retirement or a sabbatical. "It's intentional breaks throughout my career where I can just take time to enjoy and live life and recharge for my next role," she said of her definition of micro-retirement. "I'm gonna plan to keep doing this throughout my career every five to 10 years instead of deferring all of it to the end of my career."A September <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@anaisfelt/video/7419143704482499882">video</a> Felt made about her micro-retirement started a conversation on TikTok, garnering over 189,000 views and racking up more than 500 comments as of Tuesday.<h2 id="8bd54dbe-99f3-4208-b09e-d9ef2d144737">Prepping for her micro-retirement</h2>Felt said she properly planned to be able to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ex-goldman-sachs-wealth-advisor-money-advice-ultrawealthy-2024-10">afford a year off</a> before putting in her notice. She made a habit of saving as she settled into her career. The former senior product manager did not share her salary at her most recent job with BI, but <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.levels.fyi/t/product-manager?countryId=254&amp;country=254&amp;search=senior+product+manager">according to Levels.FYI</a>, which collects salary information for tech professionals, the median salary for a product manager was $211,000 as of October.Felt also said she did an audit of her spending before leaving her full time position. "That was really helpful because it helped me pare back in some areas where the spending was more unnecessary," she said. "It improved my relationship with money, and it's made me a bit more diligent with my finances."Felt took care of some regular medical expenses before leaving her job as well, like ordering contacts for the year and going to the dentist. Once she left her company, she joined her partner's health insurance.By March, she was ready for her micro-retirement.<h2 id="d8bbaaaf-2619-4847-a1be-eda023b4faa4">Felt needed more rest than she realized</h2>Felt told BI that she initially planned to take a big trip once she left her job. But <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-quit-six-figure-job-for-mental-health">burnout</a> hit her "like a brick wall" once she actually started micro-retirement."I think the first couple of weeks I actually had to accept the fact that I was burned out," she said. "I needed to just sit and relax and rest."Felt said she took it easy for a month before the "burnout cloud" started to lift."I'm so glad that I just sat down for a month because that equipped me to move into the next phase of my micro-retirement, which was doing things I loved and cared about without the excessive burnout," she said.Every day of Felt's micro-retirement looks slightly different, though she tries to stick to a schedule Monday through Friday to give herself some structure. Some days, Felt creates content on TikTok that shows peeks into her life through outfit-of-the-day videos or snippets of her home decor. On other days, she spends her time with her dog or maintains her house. Felt also spends time volunteering in her community and participating in mentorship work."I'm not getting paid for those things, but they're just really energizing because they're connected to purpose and meaning that really resonates with me and my value system," she said.Six months after she left her job, Felt said her mental health has improved, and her burnout is gone.<h2 id="00b03381-aadd-4ccc-ab9d-e412bf96c584">Micro-retirement has changed the way Felt sees her future</h2>Felt told BI that her extended break from work has given her the time and mental space to reevaluate what she wants out of her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quitting-corporate-job-content-creator-reseller-side-hustles-retire-early-2024-7">career</a>. She said "work-life balance and scheduling flexibility" will be a priority moving forward since her community has become more important, and she wants to be a mom someday."Maybe I'll work from home and continue on the corporate path, or maybe I'll start my own business," she said. "There's so much life to be lived outside of my office desk, and life really starts to get richer when it's more diversified."Felt started taking informational interviews six months into her micro-retirement. Still, she doesn't see herself seriously applying for roles until January 2025, partly because she wants to<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/egg-freezing-fertility-clinics-targeting-gen-z-women-high-cost-2024-6"> freeze her eggs</a> before returning to a full time position.Felt wants others female employees to know they don't have to sacrifice their personal lives for professional success."You can still be high achieving and successful as a woman and intentionally choose work-life balance," she said, "there needs to be harmony there."

After 10 years in corporate America, one woman took a 'micro-retirement.' It reversed burnout and improved her quality of life.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Shanna Nasiri, 34, decided to leave her tech job when she no longer felt aligned with the work.</li><li>Earlier this year, she opened a natural wine bar in Williamsburg called With Others.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shanna Nasiri, the 34-year-old owner of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.withothersbrooklyn.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYikrw0VpjpCpAQ0ZvjvLvpFSaoADEXEYZSPsfVYegg3r5FJj2KHjPZ-Cs_aem_1Utqp3zKNtwMvha7MZMTkA">With Others</a>, a natural wine bar in Brooklyn, New York. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified Nasiri's salary.I grew up in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-san-francisco-worth-it-cost-of-living-negativity-2024-2">Bay Area</a> near Silicon Valley, and everyone I knew was in some variation of tech. I continued on that trajectory.My first job was working for the corporate ventures team at Qualcomm. After that, I worked in semiconductors for a few years. Then, I went back to business school and got a job in product marketing for a regulatory technology startup.I liked aspects of what I was doing. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/big-tech-workers-pushed-limits-of-perks-benefits-pampering-over-2024-10">perks</a> were nice. I had full benefits. And there <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/left-big-tech-job-uber-entrepreneur-2024-10">was the salary</a>. I was making around $200,000 at the time I left, plus a bonus. I also got a lot of stock options.I was working for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startups-to-bet-your-career-on-in-2024-2024-2">startup companies</a>, so I had the chance to be at the ground level, build teams, and craft messaging. I felt like I had an impact.But I wasn't creatively fulfilled. I didn't like what I was doing. It didn't resonate with who I am. I was kind of embarrassed to tell people I did product marketing for regulatory technology startups. I felt like I was speaking a different language.At the time, I compartmentalized. This is who I am at work, and this is who I am in my personal life. I just accepted my life for what it was and figured you could <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/happiness-at-work-employee-engagement-fulfillment-flexibility-four-days-2023-12">never be fully happy at work.</a><h2 id="ddbf58b0-8e32-403f-9d1f-46fdacdaa027">That started to change when I turned 30</h2>Around my 30th birthday, I started having these existential questions and ideas. I had recently moved from San Francisco to New York City. That was also right at the start of COVID, so I had a lot of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-pandemic-changed-my-career-2-years-stories-2022-3">alone time to reflect.</a>I was seeing this whole new world in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-new-york-london-tech-where-to-live-2024-8">New York City</a>, with so many diverse careers. In San Francisco, I knew a lot of tech founders. But when I moved to New York, I started to see that entrepreneurship could have a greater meaning beyond tech.<div type="image" title="A photo of Shanna Nasiri holding a bottle of wine next to a photo of Williamsburg" height="1500" width="3000" msid="115114938" hostid="261" sizebytes="438074"></div>I had always fantasized about opening a space, but it wasn't something I thought I would actually do.I moved to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-show-what-its-like-to-live-in-williamsburg-brooklyn-2021-5">Williamsburg in 2021</a>. It was still pretty desolate at the time. There were lots of empty storefronts. I would go on these long walks and start fantasizing about what I would do with the space.I've always been passionate about hosting. I love to curate an environment. I'm obsessed with the little details like glassware, music, lighting, and sparkling water choice. I grew up in a family where my mom and grandma would host huge parties all the time and I was the mini host. I'm Middle Eastern and I think there is a sense of Middle Eastern hospitality that's embedded within me.My <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/types-of-wine">wine journey</a> started young. My stepdad collected limited-production Pinot Noirs. He introduced me to wine and taught me how to taste and the artisanship that goes into production.When I think about it now, it was pretty brazen to start a wine bar. But it was COVID, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-people-changed-careers-jobs-during-pandemic-2022-3">life felt so short and precious</a>. I wanted to prove to myself I could do itIt was either get stuck in this unfulfilling career trajectory and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/careerist-corporate-ladder-decline-promotions-work-ethic-american-dream-2024-10">climb the corporate ladder</a>, or try to be an entrepreneur. It was a huge leap of faith and required me to believe in myself 100%So, in the summer of 2022, I got a job at a wine bar in Brooklyn to see what it was like. I was so passionate about it.After that, I started pursuing my wine education and got my Wine and Spirit Education Trust certification, which is a globally recognized qualification. I got a job at a wine shop. And I fully committed to opening my own bar.<h2 id="49faa484-70c2-47b4-9558-670c2708ed17">My tech experience came in handy</h2>A lot of my past work was helpful as I was building the bar. I knew how to manage teams. I had always worked at the ground level, so I had experience juggling a lot of responsibilities and working with limited resources.I started asking everyone to introduce me to other entrepreneurs and asking about their contractors, their agents, and their plumbers.<div type="image" title="A photo of Shanna Nasiri posing at her wine bar next to a photo of Williamsburg" height="1500" width="3000" msid="115114935" hostid="261" sizebytes="153358"></div>I used my own money and opened the bar on a very small budget.It took me a year to find the space because I was only looking for places within a few blocks of my home. I wanted it to be really integrated with the community. I found the space in June 2023 and started construction in October 2023.We opened in March of this year. It's been incredible. It's beyond anything I could have ever imagined.It has quickly become the neighborhood spot. We have regulars that come in twice a week. And the coolest thing has started happening recently, where I have probably met 11 or 12 parents of our regulars.I've continually reinvested in the bar. For example, the backyard buildout happened three months after we opened. After that, I built out the basement and cellar. Then I invested in hiring a general manager and growing out the wine list.<h2 id="ac1863d1-953a-4300-b4ce-24a04c6e730e">It's been a major lifestyle change from tech</h2>I don't have health insurance. I'm working probably 12-hour days. There's just so much stuff to do in terms of maintenance. And I work service every single night.In tech, I could work from anywhere. I traveled a lot and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-remotely-feel-isolated-from-coworkers-quit-2024-7">worked remotely</a>. Now, I have a physical space. I haven't left a 20-mile radius since Christmas and have no plans to.But I feel so aligned with what I'm doing. It feels like what I was always meant to be doing. I work way more hours than I did in tech, but it doesn't feel as hard.I'm in such awe of what we've been able to create in such a short amount of time.

I left my $195,000 tech job to open a wine bar. I work 12-hour days and don't have health insurance, but I've never been happier.

Gina Papini honestly isn't sure whether she got taken for a ride on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/should-i-get-pet-insurance">pet insurance</a>, but it's pretty clear she didn't get much bang for her buck.Papini and her husband decided to add coverage for their two dogs and their cat when it was offered in 2021 as a bundle with their home-insurance plan. It seemed like a simple way to protect their pets' health. But the whole endeavor wound up being a headache. The pets' <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-is-an-insurance-premium-definition-cost">combined premiums</a> cost hundreds of dollars a month, she says, and the coverage proved far less comprehensive than they anticipated. The couple never really needed to use the insurance for their two younger animals, and for their older dog, Kato, the process was a mess. Whenever Kato wound up at the vet, usually with stomach issues, they'd pay the bill and then submit it to the insurance company, which would then balk at reimbursing them."We thought it would save us money in the long run if we got it, but then they would refute claims and say, 'Well, this could have been a preexisting condition,' and preexisting conditions aren't covered," Papini said. "You need extra vet paperwork to back up that it wasn't. And so then you just get to a point where you're jumping through so many hoops."Papini and her husband got tired of dealing with all the rigamarole and axed their insurance plan after a year. Despite paying thousands of dollars in premiums, they never saw a single reimbursement.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/half-owners-say-pets-equal-human-family-member-survey-2023-7">People love their pets</a>, and they're willing to do a lot for them, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/protect-finances-pets-likely-recession-2022-11">financially</a> and otherwise. The American Pet Products Association has estimated that Americans spent $147 billion on their animals in 2023, including $38 billion on their healthcare. This level of attachment has helped turn the pet insurance industry into a lucrative and rapidly expanding market. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association found that pet owners in the US paid $3.9 billion in premiums in 2023, a 22% increase from the year before. Some 6.25 million pets in the US were insured as of the end of 2023, per NAPHIA. That's still a small fraction of all the pets in the country, given that there are over 80 million pet dogs and 60 million pet cats, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. But it's growing.As pet insurance becomes more prevalent, so too do the questions about it. While some people swear by it, others think it's a scam. One thing is for sure: As the industry grows, pet insurance is becoming as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insurance-companies-get-you-to-pay-more-deny-claims-2023-10">confusing and messy</a> as health insurance is for humans. It's barely regulated, and deciphering what it does and doesn't encompass can be super confusing. Just like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-fight-rejected-insurance-claims-2013-11">regular health insurance</a>, coverage for pets often winds up being riddled with loopholes and fine print that allows insurers to deny claims, declining to pay for the very care that motivated consumers to buy the policy in the first place. Because consumers pay up front, they often don't realize they won't be reimbursed until it's too late. Pet insurance gets pricier over time, meaning many people can no longer afford to keep their coverage just when they might start to need it.In short, pet insurance isn't a grift — some people do end up using their benefits. But for many people, insuring their furry friends ends up being a money suck.Pet insurance isn't technically even health insurance; it falls in the property-and-casualty category. It's generally regulated pretty lightly by states. There are no broad federal regulations around it, and only a handful of states have laws and standards around it specifically. How it usually works is people pay a monthly premium, and after they've paid a vet bill, they submit it to the insurer to try to get their money back. Just as with human health insurance, there are also deductibles and copays and annual limits on how much the policy will pay out. There are three categories of pet insurance: accident only; accident and illness; and accident, illness, and wellness. Adding more coverage makes the policy more expensive. Accident and accident-illness policies cover costs only if something goes awry — Rover gets into a rough fight at the dog park or develops arthritis. Fancier, more-comprehensive policies also cover wellness visits and preventive care, like dental care and vaccines. No matter the policy you choose, insurance <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/average-cost-pet-insurance">can get expensive fast</a>. Premiums generally go up each year as a pet gets older. And <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/soaring-home-car-insurance-rates-hurting-americans-finances-us-economy-2023-11">as with many insurance products</a>, pet-insurance premiums across the board are on the rise because of inflation and the increasing cost of care."The big problem with pet insurance is it's just an expensive product," said Kevin Brasler, the executive editor of Consumers' Checkbook, a consumer watchdog group. "If you're going to be one of these plans, buy it when your pet's young, but just know your costs are likely going to skyrocket as time goes on."Even if a pet owner can find an affordable policy, they may have trouble deciphering what's covered. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/preexisting-conditions-in-dogs">Pet insurance almost never covers preexisting conditions</a>, and what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-counts-pre-existing-condition-bcra-trump-obamacare-2017-7">qualifies as preexisting</a> can be quite broad and hard to parse. (It's wild that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/obama-jimmy-kimmel-healthcare-preexisting-conditions-2017-5">we used to do this for people</a>, by the way.) If you get a policy for your puppy before it has a chance to develop any problems, it might be a good deal. But if you have a 10-year-old dog with diabetes, that's a different story. I got some quotes from the website Pawlicy Advisor for my fictional dog, a mixed breed named Dan. When I changed the inputs to make Dan a six-month-old in optimal health, the platform recommended a policy starting at $28 a month. When Dan was 10 and had some issues, the first policy it suggested was $125, and some plans were about $350.Michael San Filippo, a spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association, said in an email that the group endorsed the "concept" of pet health insurance, which can help keep vet costs down and save animals' lives, but he acknowledged that when the rubber hits the road, it can get hard to figure out."It's important that pet owners understand the scope of what their pet insurance does and does not cover, so they're not caught off guard by unexpected payments," he said.Even getting good advice on which pet-insurance policy is right for you can be a challenge. There are endless listicles recommending various policies, as well as websites dedicated to comparing insurers. The sheer volume of information can be hard to parse. It's also difficult to differentiate what is genuine advice and what's paid for. Many comparison tools get <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-earn-six-figures-with-affiliate-marketing-websites-2023-5">commissions for sales</a> made through their platforms, so what they're recommending may not actually be the best option — it's just the one <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-creators-discuss-new-affiliate-program-rates-features-2024-3">they'll make money off of</a>. (This is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-affiliate-marketing-report-how-mainstream-publishers-are-turning-performance-based-marketing-into-a-fine-art-2015-11">true for all sorts of platforms</a> that compare and recommend financial products, from credit cards to travel insurance.) The spread of these lists also points to another problem with the industry: the corporatization of pet insurance. Doug Kenney, a retired veterinarian who writes about the pet-insurance industry, said in an email that a decade ago, most pet-insurance companies were considered small businesses and were led by a founder/CEO with a vision for the company. Over time, these companies took on larger corporate structures, and some founders were pushed out by their boards. Nowadays, there are many large pet-insurance companies, some of which specialize only in pets, others of which are larger insurers that offer pet insurance, and many of which are publicly traded, meaning they ultimately answer to shareholders."This new structure has been a detriment to the industry with profit as the primary motive versus what is in the best interest of the consumer," Kenney said. "I used to say that pet insurance was a win, win, win proposition with the insurance company, veterinarians, and the policyholders and their pets all benefiting. I don't think that's the case anymore."Reporting this story, I fully expected to come down on one side or the other on whether pet insurance is good or bad. But I really didn't come up with an answer. I heard about a wide array of experiences with pet insurance, from awesome to mediocre to awful. One woman saved $4,000 on vet bills thanks to her insurance after her cat ate a pom-pom toy and the doctor had to fish it out. One man looked into getting coverage for his two cats after learning that both had extra teeth, but the minute they were documented, those overcrowded mouths became a preexisting condition. Another woman adopted a dog from Mexico with a "pretty wonky leg" that's "very noticeable." At her first vet appointment with the animal, the doctor told her to apply for pet insurance. She said she wouldn't note the leg on the dog's chart so the application would be approved — everyone agreeing to do a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insurance-fraud-artificial-intelligence-detection-2023-10">light amount of insurance fraud</a>. In a purely financial or economic sense, pet insurance seems pretty worthless for many consumers. There are too many exceptions, too many hoops to jump through, and little regulatory recourse if you think you got taken for a ride. Unless something goes really awry, people pay more into their policies than they get out of them. Brasler was pretty blunt in his assessment of the overall product."You really need to think carefully about 'What kind of pet owner am I?' No judgments," he said. "This is a really expensive product. It's not likely to save you money down the road, and if it does, you're an outlier."Ultimately, a lot of the value of this sort of insurance is emotional. It's possible to do some back-of-the-envelope calculations to figure out the lifetime cost of a policy, but the personal side of the equation is considering how much you're willing to spend on your furry friend. Maybe you feel like spending $10,000 over the course of your pet's life on insurance is worth it for the peace of mind. Or maybe you forgo insurance, figuring that if your companion has a serious health problem, you'll make the decision then to spend the money on them — or not. (Again, no judgments!)As for Papini, she's not getting back on the pet-insurance train. It was just too hard to deal with, and her husband is still cranky about the ordeal. She knows they're fortunate to be able to pay out of pocket for their animals' needs, which remain expensive. Kato now has cancer, and the treatments cost thousands of dollars. Would the insurance be worth it now? It's hard to know."Who's to say they wouldn't have been like, 'Well, he had diarrhea in 2017, so therefore it's a preexisting condition,'" she said. "Then we would've spent thousands of dollars for the insurance, never been able to use it, and still had to pay out of pocket on top of it."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/emily-stewart">Emily Stewart</a> is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

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