Globe-trotters should check with their insurer before heading for the airport

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• Life insurance may not automatically cover you while traveling abroad, potentially leaving families vulnerable

• Policies can contain exclusions for certain countries, high-risk activities, or lengthy stays overseas

• A simple check-in with your insurer could prevent denied claims and financial hardship for loved ones

As Americans pack their bags for international adventures in record numbers, an overlooked detail could transform their dream trips into financial nightmares: life insurance that stops at the border.

According to Mariah Bliss, a life insurance expert with Everly Life,far too many travelers assume their life insurance offers blanket protection no matter where they roam. In reality, thats not always true and failing to check could leave families exposed to devastating consequences.

Most people assume their life insurance follows them wherever they go, but thats not always the case, Bliss warns. Your policy may contain territorial restrictions or exclusions that many travelers never even consider.

In recent years, remote work, digital nomad lifestyles, and long-term overseas assignments have fueled a surge in international travel. However, this trend also increases the likelihood that Americans might find themselves in places or situations where their life insurance doesnt apply.

Geographic gaps,high-risk zones

The idea that life insurance could leave you stranded might seem far-fetched, but Bliss explains that many standard policies were written without globe-trotting policyholders in mind. Territorial limitations are often buried in the fine print, restricting coverage to specific countries or regionsor excluding entire areas considered high-risk due to political instability, conflict, or crime.

A death that occurs in a country not covered by your policy could result in a denied claim, leaving your beneficiaries without the financial protection you thought youd provided, Bliss says.

This isnt merely theoretical. Many insurers maintain lists of high-risk countries flagged due to government travel advisories. Travel to these destinations can mean coverage exclusions or may require ridersspecial add-ons to maintain full benefits. For travelers heading to regions with ongoing conflict or political unrest, this scrutiny becomes even more critical.

Hazardous activities could be troublesome

Geography isnt the only concern. Bliss points out that what you do while traveling also matters. Adventure sports, volunteer work in conflict zones, journalism assignments in dangerous areas, or even certain types of business travel can be classified as hazardous activities. Such pursuits might trigger policy exclusions or significantly higher premiums.

Its not just where youre going, but what you plan to do while youre there, says Bliss.

Proactive Steps for Travel-Savvy Coverage

Fortunately, avoiding these pitfalls is relatively simple. Bliss urges travelers to take proactive steps:

• Notify Your Insurer: Dont assume your insurance company knows about your travel plans. A quick call or email documenting your destinations and activities can help prevent future claim disputes.

• Consider Global Riders or Expat Policies: If your policy has territorial limits, ask your insurer about worldwide coverage riders or specialized expat insurance.

• Review Beneficiaries and Claims Process: International claims can be more complicated than domestic ones. Make sure beneficiaries understand the process and have necessary documents.

• Keep Records: Detailed documentation of travel plans, destinations, and activities can prove invaluable if questions arise.

The more transparent you are with your insurer about your lifestyle and travel habits, the better they can tailor your coverage to protect you, Bliss emphasizes.

As global travel continues to boom, Blisss message is clear: a few minutes reviewing your life insurance before you fly could mean the difference between peace of mindand financial heartbreak for the family you leave behind.

But coffee and egg prices are still higher year-over-year

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index fell nearly 3% year-over-year in June, largely due to a 62% drop in cookie prices, which benefited from falling sugar and chocolate costs.

• Despite the broader decline, prices for staples like whole bean coffee (+14.5%) and organic eggs (+13.5%) continued to rise, along with smaller increases for soda, chips, and milk.

• While several items saw significant price cutsincluding salted butter, spring water, tuna, and breadothers remained flat or edged higher, highlighting persistent inflation across parts of the grocery aisle.

After three years of inflation, grocery prices remain high, but a large decline in the price of chocolate pushed the ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index lower in June.

The Index is made up of 24 commonly purchased grocery items. Datasembly tracks price changes in real time.

In June, the total cost of the 24 items was $147.50, down from $152 in June 2024. Thats an annual decline of nearly 3%. But one item in the cart was responsible for much of the decline.

In July 2024, a 14.3 oz. package of cookies cost $9.91. Last month, that package of cookies sold for $3.78, a year-over-year decine of nearly 62%. Both sugar and chocolate prices have significantly moderated over the last 12 months. The cost has declined by 41 cents since May.

But prices for several other items have remained stubbornly high:

Top 5 items with the largest price increases

In addition to cookies, prices have declined for salted butter, spring water, canned tuna and honey wheat bread.

June Shopping Cart Index

The animal-rights group says the American Kennel Club is harming dog

• PETA has filed a lawsuit in New York, demanding the American Kennel Club abolish breed standards it says cause severe health issues in dogs.

• The suit targets breeds like the French bulldog and pug, alleging standards promote deformities and suffering purely for appearance.

• The American Kennel Club denies the claims, asserting its breed standards prioritize canine health and well-being.

The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sued the American Kennel Club (AKC) on Tuesday, alleging that breed standards for several popular dog breeds promote harmful physical traits that jeopardize the animals health and welfare.

Filed in New York State Supreme Court, PETAs lawsuit demands the AKC abolish official breed standards for five breedsthe bulldog, dachshund, pug, Chinese shar-pei, and French bulldog. The group argues that features mandated by these standards, such as the flat faces of pugs and French bulldogs or the short legs of dachshunds, result in deformities, chronic pain, and premature death.

These extreme deformities serve no functional purpose and exist purely to meet an aesthetic ideal, PETAs complaint states. It further claims the AKCs standards contradict the organizations own mission of promoting canine health and well-being.

PETA cites research, including a 2022 study from the United Kingdom, highlighting that bulldogs and pugs have significantly shorter life expectancies than other common dog breeds. The suit also references welfare-based breeding bans for certain dogs in countries like the Netherlands and Norway.

Breathing problems, other issues

Health issues listed in the complaint include severe breathing problems in brachycephalic breeds like pugs, bulldogs, and French bulldogs, which can make basic activities such as running, eating, and playing difficult. Other alleged problems include painful eye conditions in Chinese shar-peis due to heavy skin folds, frequent ear infections, and skeletal issues in dachshunds due to their elongated bodies and short limbs.

In response, the American Kennel Club rejected PETAs allegations. In a statement, the AKC said it has beenand remainsfirmly committed to the health, well-being, and proper treatment of all dogs, adding that national breed clubs are experts on their breeds and that standards reflect decades of collaboration with veterinary professionals and breeders.

Purebred dogs bred to the standard by responsible breeders are healthy and valued companions, the AKC asserted.

PETA is known for its aggressive advocacy and legal actions aimed at spotlighting animal welfare issues. Its latest lawsuit underscores a long-running debate over the ethics of breeding practices and the potential costs to animal health in pursuit of specific appearances.

Meanwhile, breeds like the French bulldog continue to enjoy massive popularity in the United States. The AKC reports that French bulldogs were the countrys most-registered purebred dog last year, especially among urban dwellers.

As the legal battle unfolds, the case could reignite broader discussions about how beauty standards in dog breeding intersect with animal health and welfare.

Patients will be facing stiff cost increases or may have to switch medications

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• Eli Lillys Zepbound transformed weight loss drug market since debut 18 months ago

• 4.5 million people reportedly taking Lillys GLP-1 drugs for weight and related health issues

• Insurance changes could leave patients weighing steep costs or switching medications

A major shift in insurance coverage threatens to upend access to Zepbound, Eli Lillys blockbuster weight loss drug that has surged in popularity since its launch a year and a half ago.

Zepbound, the brand name for tirzepatide, quickly became a household name as millions flocked to new GLP-1 medications promising not only weight loss but benefits for conditions such as sleep apnea. Eli Lilly, the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant, estimates that 4.5 million people now use one of its GLP-1 drugs for weight management or related health concerns.

But the drugs meteoric rise is facing a new obstacle: a coverage change by CVS, a leading pharmacy benefit manager, that may force patients to pay significantly more out-of-pocket or consider alternative therapies. Details of the coverage adjustment have not been publicly disclosed, but the move is poised to reshape howand whethermany patients can afford the high-priced medication.

The development underscores broader tensions in the weight loss drug market, where demand for new treatments has boomed, but insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers are grappling with how to contain costs for medications that can run over $1,000 per month.

Pharmaceutical giants have been critical of PBMs, saying their role needs to change. Eli Lilly previously told FOX Business that the only way to lower prices for U.S. consumers is if "intermediaries take less for themselves."

For patients, the changes may soon bring difficult choices about their healthand their finances.

Tariffs and supply constraints are leading to higher prices

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Average monthly new vehicle sales jumped to 1.17 million in Q2 2025, driven by pull-ahead purchases
• Vehicle inventory fell below 3 million units as consumers rushed to buy ahead of tariff-related price hikes
• Rising prices and depleted supply could stall automotive momentum in Q3, Cloud Theory warns

Lots of consumers purchased new cars in the second quarter of 2025, just ahead of tariffs that affect nearly all makes and models sold in the U.S. While these savvy consumers avoided paying higher prices, they significantly drew down inventories, so that there are now fewer new cars on dealers lots, and those cars are more expensive.

An analysis by automotive data analytics firm Cloud Theory shows the U.S. automotive industry posted a robust second quarter in 2025, buoyed by a surge in new vehicle sales that averaged 1.17 million units per month, up from 1.08 million in Q1.

However, the analysis suggests this second quarter boost may come at a cost, with signs pointing toward a challenging third quarter as inventory tightens and prices edge upward.

The second quarter figures are detailed in Cloud Theory's newly released "On the Horizon" report, which attributes the sales lift to "pull-ahead" demand. This phenomenon, triggered by tariff-related pricing concerns, began in March and continued throughout the quarter, prompting consumers to expedite purchases in anticipation of costlier vehicles.

The pull-ahead effect of tariff-related pricing increases that began in March extended into Q2, but the aftereffects of those accelerated purchases are looming, said Rick Wainschel, vice president of Data Science and Analytics at Cloud Theory. This summer poses significant risks to the industrys current momentum.

Inventory levels fall below 3 million units

This fast pace of sales has outstripped replenishment efforts, with inventory dropping steadily over the past two quarters. After averaging 3.27 million units in Q4 2024, the analysis shows inventory fell to 3.07 million in Q1 and 2.84 million in Q2 2025, marking two consecutive quarters where more vehicles left lots than were replaced.

Cloud Theory estimates that 500,000 vehicles sold over the last four months were pull-ahead purchases, significantly impacting current supply levels.

As inventory shrinks, prices are rising. The average new vehicle price climbed from $49,236 in Q1 2025 to $49,713 in Q2, a $477 increase. However, the report notes this modest gain obscures a sharper underlying rise.

To mitigate sticker shock, manufacturers have shifted production toward lower-priced segments, including midsize and small SUVs, and away from costlier full size trucks and XL SUVs.

This strategic realignment has produced a short-term dip in the Average Marketed Price by $202 in late June. Without the shift in segment mix, prices would have risen by $223, signaling broader inflationary trends.

Consumer incentives

Additional insights from the Q2 report reveal shifting market dynamics:

• Turn ratesthe percentage of inventory sold in a given periodexceeded 40%, up from the low-to-mid 30s in previous quarters.
  

• Days-to-move, a measure of how long vehicles stay on lots, dropped from 80 days in Q1 to 71 days in Q2, reflecting faster sell-through.
  

• Market adjustments, or consumer-visible discounts and incentives, averaged over $2,000 in Q2up nearly $600 year-over-year.