NASHVILLE – Flooding is the most common and expensive natural disaster in the U.S., according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Floods cost our nation nearly $8.2 billion annually. Yet, a 2016 Insurance Information Institute poll found that only 12 percent of U.S. homeowners have flood insurance. In Tennessee, most homeowners don’t have flood insurance. To raise awareness of the importance of flood insurance, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) offer tips and information to help consumers better understand the importance of flood insurance.

NASHVILLE – As technology is increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, scammers are using these new tools to reinvent their schemes and swindle unsuspecting consumers. To help raise consumer awareness, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is reminding Volunteer State residents to be on the lookout for con artists using technology as their platform to perpetrate scams.

NASHVILLE – Stop, drop, and roll is one of the oldest and most well-known fire safety messages, but it’s not the only fire safety message you or your family should remember during a fire emergency. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) reminds parents that children may get the ‘stop, drop and roll’ message confused with other equally important home fire safety messages. With a new school year on the horizon, the SFMO is encouraging parents to talk to their kids about when to stop, drop, and roll.

NASHVILLE – Whether your vacation plans include sunshine, mountain vistas, or ocean waves, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance reminds consumers to evaluate their insurance risks and needs before setting off to recharge with family and friends this summer.

NASHVILLE – If you’ve gone on vacation in a resort-populated area, it’s likely you’ve been offered to join a timeshare seminar. With vacation season in full swing, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is offering tips to help consumers avoid common scams and potentially unfair or deceptive sales tactics involving timeshares.

NASHVILLE – As temperatures have soared to new heights, most Tennesseans would agree that an air-conditioning unit is a survival staple. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is warning consumers to be on the lookout for scammers trying to make a profit from charging for unnecessary AC repair work.

NASHVILLE – Summertime traditionally brings family vacations, relaxation, and plans for a new school year. But AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety reports a more perilous side to summer as over 1,050 people were killed in auto crashes involving a teen driver in 2016 during the 100 Deadliest Days, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s an average of 10 deaths per day—an increase of 14 percent compared to other times of the year. Speed and nighttime driving were significant factors contributing toward the number of crashes and fatalities.

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans now have greater protection from military impersonators, improved assistance when recovering from identity theft and cannot be charged by credit reporting companies when enacting security freezes, among other new protections. Those improvements are courtesy of several consumer-oriented laws passed earlier this year by the Tennessee General Assembly.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is reminding parents and caregivers of the necessity of child fire safety education this summer in light of a recent analysis of state fire data that reveals an ongoing increase in child fire fatalities during the months of June and July.

NASHVILLE – Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is raising awareness of the dangers posed by consumer fireworks and urging Tennesseans to leave the fireworks to the pros instead of risking their lives and possibly breaking the law by detonating fireworks themselves.

NASHVILLE – In honor of National Insurance Awareness Day (Thursday, June 28), the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is reminding Tennesseans to conduct an annual review of their life, home, and automobile insurance policies to ensure their coverages fit their current needs.

NASHVILLE – As Tennessee’s strong economy continues making the Volunteer State a popular destination for newcomers, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is offering tips to prospective renters on how to avoid becoming a victim of moving and/or home rental scammers.

NASHVILLE – Over 90 newly certified law enforcement officers are scheduled to graduate from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA) at 11 a.m. Friday, June 22, 2018 during a ceremony to be held at Al Menah Shrine Temple (1354 Brick Church Pike, Nashville, TN).

NASHVILLE – With new Medicare cards slated to arrive in Tennessee sometime after June, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is warning Medicare beneficiaries to be wary of scammers who might use the cards’ pending arrival as an opportunity to fleece unsuspecting consumers.

NASHVILLE – With elder abuse being an ever-increasing problem, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has proclaimed June 15, 2018 as Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Tennessee. In anticipation of this day, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Securities and Consumer Affairs divisions offer tips to help seniors avoid falling victim to identity theft and financial abuse.