Months of insurance uncertainty after woman totals car in deer crash
A New Brunswick woman is warning car buyers to ask questions before buying gap insurance too. It's intended to cover some of what's still owed on a car loan after an accident, but for Samantha Anderson, it's only been a headache.
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Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Musk And Trump Go To War: Musk Deletes Tweets Critical Of President
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's months-long friendship devolved in spectacular fashion this week as the world's richest man and the world's most powerful man engaged in a nasty, public back-and-forth on their respective social media platforms—but Musk has since taken down some of his tweets that were critical of the president in what marked the most poignant moment of de-escalation between both figures. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the ... More White House in Washington, DC, on May 30, 2025. (Photo by ALLISON ROBBERT/AFP via Getty Images) 11:20 A.M., Thursday (June 5)Musk, in his first direct attack on Trump amid a days-long rant against Trump's signature policy bill, reposted a 2013 tweet from Trump that said he was in disbelief and 'embarrassed' Republicans were extending the debt ceiling, captioning the repost 'wise words,' after Trump said Wednesday the debt limit should be 'entirely scrapped' as a provision of the bill, which would raise the debt ceiling ahead of its expected expiration date in August. 12 making his first comments on Musk's criticism of his bill during an Oval Office press conference, insinuated the Tesla CEO opposes his 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' because he is 'upset' the electric vehicle tax credit was removed, adding he's not sure he'll remain friends with Musk and alleging Musk 'knew the inner workings of the bill.' Trump also suggested Musk is suffering from what he refers to as 'Trump derangement syndrome,' which Trump claims happens when people leave the administration and turn on the president. 12:25 said he didn't turn on the bill after the EV tax credit was removed: 'False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!' Musk tweeted. 12:46 said 'without me,' Trump would have lost the election, Democrats would control the House, and Republicans would have a more narrow majority in the Senate, after Musk donated more than $250 million toward Trump's campaign, accusing Trump in a subsequent tweet of 'such ingratitude.' 2:37 P.M. 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,' Trump wrote, adding, 'I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!' 2:37 P.M. Trump said Musk was 'wearing thin' at the White House and he 'asked him to leave,' then he 'just went CRAZY!' when the EV tax credit was removed from the bill. 2:48 said it's 'such an obvious lie' and 'so sad' Trump asked him to leave and that he was upset over the EV tax credit. 3:10 P.M. Musk alleged on X, without evidence, the reason the White House has yet to fully release the 'Epstein files' detailing the FBI's investigation into the late, disgraced former financier Jeffrey Epstein is because Trump is implicated in them. 4:09 said he would decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft used by NASA to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. 4:11 P.M. Musk endorsed one user's suggestion that Trump be impeached, writing 'Yes' in response to an X user who wrote 'President vs. Elon. Who wins? My money's on Elon. . . Trump should be impeached and JD Vance should replace him.' 4:26 P.M. Musk said Trump's tariffs will trigger a recession in the second half of the year, after remaining mostly reserved in his previous criticism of the tariffs. 11:16 downplayed his public falling out with Musk to Politico, telling the outlet 'oh it's okay,' as White House officials were reportedly working to de-escalate the situation and set up a call between Musk and Trump. 12:30 appeared to backtrack on his earlier threat to decommission the SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft after a follower urged him not to do so, prompting the billionaire to respond 'Good advice. Ok, we won't decommission Dragon.' 1 A.M., Friday (June 6)Musk signaled he is willing to de-escalate his fight with Trump after hedge-fund billionaire Bill Ackman—who is both a Trump supporter and a Musk ally—tweeted that both of them 'should make peace for the benefit of our great are much stronger together than apart.' Musk replied: 'You're not wrong.' 4 billionaire later reposted a follower who said 'Republicans will likely lose the House in 2026.' 4 signals of a truce, Musk continued to attack the president's allies, such as Steve Bannon, and Trump's signature spending bill. 7 price of Tesla's shares, which plummeted 14% on Thursday amid the clash, is up around 4.4% in premarket trading on Friday morning, after Musk signaled he is open to a truce with Trump. 8:17 told ABC News in a Friday morning interview he was 'not particularly' interested in talking to Musk right now, alleging Musk has 'lost his mind.' 12:06 is 'thinking about' selling the Tesla Model S he bought in March, when he showcased the purchase to the media on the White House driveway in a public show of support for Musk, a senior White House official told Forbes, though The New York Times, also citing an unnamed White House source, reported the car is already for sale. Otherwise, the Musk-Trump feud appeared to simmer in public as of Friday afternoon, with some speculation they could mend fences in a matter of days. Saturday (June 7)Musk deleted his tweet suggesting Trump was in the Epstein files and removed his other post endorsing the impeachment of the president—though a quote tweet expressing skepticism about Trump and Epstein's alleged links was still up as of Saturday morning, as well as Musk's tweet claiming Trump would have lost the election without him. Musk said repeatedly last year he supports eliminating the EV tax credit—diluting Trump's argument he only opposes the bill because it gets rid of the incentive. 'I think we should get rid of all credits,' Musk said in December when asked by a reporter on Capitol Hill if he supports getting rid of the electric vehicle tax credit, Politico reported. The House-passed version of the bill would phase out the $7,500 tax credit for some EV buyers by 2026. $2.4 trillion. That's how much the bill would add to the federal debt over the next decade, according to an estimate by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released Wednesday that estimates it would cost $4.2 trillion, mostly from tax cuts, and save $1.8 trillion. 'I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot,' Trump said while sitting next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office on Thursday. Musk—who left his White House role last week—has fired off dozens of tweets this week attacking Trump's policy bill over the amount it's expected to add to the federal debt. 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore,' Musk wrote Tuesday on X in his initial post bashing the legislation, calling it a 'massive, outrageous, pork-filled . . . disgusting abomination.' Musk attacked Trump directly over the bill for the first time since he began his days-long rant moments before Trump sat down with Merz by reposting the president's 2013 tweet about the debt ceiling. In other tweets this week targeting the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' Musk threatened Republicans who voted for it, warning that 'in November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people' and calling for lawmakers to 'KILL The BILL.' Until Trump's comments Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.—who shepherded the bill through the House—was the top Republican defending the legislation against Musk's criticism. Johnson said Wednesday Trump is 'not delighted that Elon did a 180.' The bill, passed by the House in a party-line vote last month after last-minute revisions to appease Republican holdouts, is being negotiated by the Senate. Republican leaders have set a July 4 deadline to put the bill on Trump's desk for signage, but GOP resistance in the upper chamber—and some expressions of regret from a few House Republicans who said they were unaware of certain provisions—threaten to delay its passage. The legislation would fulfill Trump's key campaign promises, including an extension of his 2017 tax cuts, no taxes on tips and overtime and additional border security, paid for, in part, by cuts to Medicaid. Tesla shares dropped 14% as Musk clashed with Trump, closing at $284.70 and completely erasing a month's worth of gains it made in May. The fall marked the 11th-worst single trading day for the electric vehicle maker since it went public in 2010, according to FactSet. Musk, who owns about 12% of Tesla excluding options, saw his estimated net worth tumble by $27 billion to $388 billion (he still remains the world's wealthiest person by far). Trump Media & Technology Group's stock closed down 8% at $20.12, bringing shares to their lowest point since April 16. Multiple cryptocurrencies also slumped amid the spat, with ethereum falling 7%, Solana dropping 6% and the Musk-backed dogecoin sliding 9%. Bitcoin prices did not fall as sharply as its competitors' prices, but still sunk by 3% by Thursday evening. Tensions between Musk and Trump were palpable during the joint press conference they held May 30 to mark Musk's last day leading the Department of Government Efficiency. While the two praised each other, their once-lighthearted rapport appeared stiff and uneasy. Musk in particular appeared to be in an odd mood, prompting social media users to claim he was 'tweaking out,' suggesting he may have been under the influence of drugs, as the press conference was held hours after a New York Times report alleging Musk engaged in heavy drug use while he campaigned for Trump last year. Musk also sported a black eye during the press conference, which the Tesla CEO claimed he got from his five-year-old son. 'KILL The BILL': Musk Deepens Rant Against Trump's Signature Policy Legislation (Forbes) Musk Calls For Ending Electric Vehicle Tax Credit—Which Could Help Tesla (Forbes) Musk Cuts Off Reporter Asking About Drug Use Allegations—Including Ketamine, Ecstasy And Adderall (Forbes)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"I Voted For Trump, But I'm On Elon's Side Here" — MAGA Is Choosing Sides In Trump/Musk's Breakup, And The Reactions Are Priceless
As the whole world knows by now, former besties Donald Trump and Elon Musk have beef. This week, their bromance turned into an online feud after a string of chaotic posts slamming each other went viral, all because of differing views on Trump's "Big, Beautiful, Bill." Trump's Vice President JD Vance quickly took Trump's side on X, saying he's "proud to stand beside him." Twitter: @JDVance And followed it up with another, vouching for Trump's character. Twitter: @JDVance Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon had a much more dramatic response, immediately calling for Elon Musk's deportation. "They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately," Bannon said in a phone interview with the New York Times. Related: "We Don't Import Food": 31 Americans Who Are Just So, So Confused About Tariffs And US Trade Well, conservative voters (many who claim to have supported Trump) are not holding back their reactions to the Trump vs. Elon feud, and many, surprisingly, are team Elon. Here's what they're saying over on the r/LeopardsAteMyFace and r/Conservative subreddits: This person told Elon to "Burn it down." This MAGA voter took Elon's side, accusing Trump of being immature. Related: AOC's Viral Response About A Potential Presidential Run Has Everyone Watching, And I'm Honestly Living For It "I'm with Elon." "We all know Trump isn't that mature, unfortunately." This user said Trump and Elon need to check their "crazy big egos." This person compared Trump and Elon to "petty immature teenagers." This user claimed the feud won't be a big deal in the long run, and called it "business as usual." This user questioned if the fued was a performance. And finally, "This is how a Democrat gets elected in 2028." What are your thoughts on the Trump vs. Elon feud? Let us know in the comments below. Also in In the News: People Can't Believe This "Disgusting" Donald Trump Jr. Post About Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Is Real Also in In the News: Republicans Are Calling Tim Walz "Tampon Tim," And The Backlash From Women Is Too Good Not To Share Also in In the News: JD Vance Shared The Most Bizarre Tweet Of Him Serving "Food" As Donald Trump's Housewife
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
How extreme weather is increasing the cost of your auto insurance
According to the Official Data Foundation's analysis of government data, auto insurance premiums have increased 161% since 2008, outpacing general inflation by a wide margin. In the same timeframe, insured losses related to hailstorms — a major driver of auto claims — have increased fivefold in the U.S., costing an estimated $10 billion annually. Research has linked climate change to larger hailstones, which can produce deeper and bigger dents. As the incidence and severity of hailstorms, hurricanes, flooding, and tornadoes increase, insurance providers field more claims and face higher repair costs. These outcomes often prompt premium increases, particularly in areas prone to severe weather. Learn more: The insurance you need to protect your vehicle from flood damage This embedded content is not available in your region. State legislatures regulate insurance rates to prevent excessive charges. The process requires insurance companies to share detailed risk assessments and justify their expected claims and policy-management costs. Weather factors into the risk analysis and projected claims cost, both overall and on an individual policy basis. A rough weather season can cost an insurance company millions in claims across multiple insurance lines, including homeowners insurance, auto insurance, and business insurance. In the third quarter of 2024, insurer Allstate absorbed $1.2 billion of catastrophe losses spread across more than 100,000 claims related to Hurricanes Beryl, Debby, Francine, and Helene. Auto claims related to weather can arise from direct damage and a higher incidence of accidents. Causes of direct damage include: Hail. According to Matt Brannon, data journalist for Insurify, hail-related damages made up 12% of auto claims in 2023, up 9% from 2020. Brannon noted that "hail-related claims are also about 26% more costly to repair than the average repairable claim." Storm surge flooding. High floodwaters can cause extensive damage to a vehicle's electrical system and interior. Mechanical functions can also break down when the water carries dirt and sand into the engine compartment and other systems. Repair costs often exceed the car's value, prompting the insurance company to declare the vehicle a total loss. High winds. High winds from tornadoes, hurricanes, and severe storms can cause downed trees and flying objects that land on vehicles. In extreme cases, wind can pick up vehicles and slam them into buildings or the ground. Indirectly, traffic accidents and collisions are more common in poor weather conditions. Brannon reported that "wet pavement is a factor in 15% of crashes, with snow and sleet a factor in 4% of crashes." Learn more: How much does car insurance increase after an accident? Travis Hodges, managing director of VIU by HUB, a digital insurance platform, also noted the problem of severe storms occurring in areas unaccustomed to them. Drivers who are inexperienced with ice, snow, and wind can be more prone to accidents. Alongside increasingly severe weather events, other factors are pushing the cost of auto repairs higher. Insurance service provider CCC Intelligent Solutions highlights five significant trends affecting auto claim losses in its Crash Course Q1 2025 Report: Aging vehicles. Consumers are delaying new car purchases due to elevated costs and interest rates, plus supply constraints. More EVs and hybrids. EV and hybrids have more expensive parts and higher repair costs. Advanced safety features. Driver assistance features are complex and expensive to repair. Increasing medical costs. Bodily injury claim amounts are on the rise as U.S. healthcare costs escalate. The average bodily injury claim in 2023 was $26,501, up from $20,925 in 2020, according to the Insurance Information Institute. High total loss frequency. Depreciation of used cars and higher repair costs are increasing the frequency of total loss declarations. In short, auto repair costs are rising as older vehicles age and new cars become more complex. Higher healthcare expenses are also increasing auto claim costs. These trends magnify the losses related to hailstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes, and provide more data to support higher auto insurance premiums. Learn more: Car insurance rates are climbing. Here are 4 reasons why and 11 ways to save. Brannon said drivers in areas prone to severe weather are likely to see the most significant rate increases. He cites Minnesota as an example, where insurance rates increased 58% in 2024. "The state experienced several waves of severe storms, producing heavy rainfall and record-breaking, 6-inch hailstones," Brannon explained. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information, the South, Central, and Southeast regions of the U.S. incurred the largest cumulative weather-related damage costs between 1980 and 2024. The three states with the highest weather-related damage costs are Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. Learn more: Experts: Buy more than just the minimum amount of car insurance in Florida These conclusions were based on a review of weather events that each cost more than $1 billion in damage. Tropical cyclones, droughts, severe storms, and inland flooding were identified as the most destructive weather patterns. Learn more: Everything you need to know about car insurance in Texas According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of auto insurance in April 2025 was up 6.4% from the prior year. Relative to two years ago, auto insurance premiums are 30% higher. Bannon said inflation and insurer losses are the two main drivers of premium increases. Climate change is a factor because weather influences insurer losses. "Climate change brings more frequent and severe storms that result in more claims and costlier repairs," Bannon explained. "When insurers pay out more in claims," he continued, "they often pass those costs onto policyholders." Hodges agreed. "Unpredictable [weather] events, combined with increases in repair costs and extended repair times, are all fueling the sharp rise in auto insurance premiums." Weather-related damages can lead to claims against your collision, comprehensive, or liability insurance. Comprehensive insurance helps pay to repair your car after a non-collision accident. This includes damage from falling trees, hail, flying objects, and floods. Comprehensive is an optional coverage that requires you to pay a deductible before any claims are paid. Collision insurance funds repair costs for your car when you are at fault in an accident. Weather can lead to a collision claim if heavy rain, wind, or icy conditions contributed to the accident. For example, you may be driving too fast in a storm and lose control on wet pavement. If you hit another car or an object, such as a tree, your collision insurance pays to fix your car. Collision, like comprehensive, is an optional coverage that has a deductible. Liability insurance pays for injuries and property repairs resulting from accidents you cause. Weather can be a contributing factor, but many liability claims are not weather-related. If someone else causes an accident that leaves you with medical bills or repair expenses, that person's liability insurance should absorb those costs. Learn more about bodily injury liability and property damage liability Gap insurance pays off your auto loan if your car is deemed a total loss and the payout is less than your loan balance. Weather can tap your gap insurance if your car is submerged and extensively damaged by a storm surge. Gap insurance is optional coverage, available for newer cars only. There is no deductible. Learn more: Most common types of auto insurance explained Tim Manni edited this article.
