Guard Your Presents - need for auto insurance; mutual fund performance - Statistical Data Included

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Dec, 2000 by Elizabeth Razzi

INSURANCE | The holidays are full of temptations--for THIEVES, too.

AS IF YOU don't have enough to do during the mad rush of holiday shopping, take a few extra steps to safeguard your car. Will Estes, a claims manager with the Chubb Group of Insurance Cos., says claims for thefts from vehicles in particular increase dramatically in November and December. Even antitheft devices and car alarms aren't enough to keep determined thieves from breaking into a car to snatch newly bought gifts.

Your homeowners insurance policy usually covers such losses, but only when the loss exceeds the deductible of $250, $500 or even $1,000. (If your loss doesn't exceed the deductible by much, think twice about submitting a claim. Subsequent claims could put you in a high-risk category, leading the insurer to raise your rates--or even drop you.) A broken car window or lock would be covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto policy, which is usually subject to a deductible of $250 or $500. (Chubb applies only one deductible if an incident involves both damage and theft.)

As you shop, take receipts out of the bag, especially if you've paid with cash. If your shopping bag is lost, so is your record of the purchase. And don't leave gifts in the car--especially where they can be spotted through windows--at the mall or in your driveway. Likewise, once you're home, don't display presents where they can be seen from the outside.

Top-Yielding Money-Market Mutual Funds

                                RECENT          MIN.
Taxable                      30-DAY YIELD      INVEST.

1. Strong Investors(*)          6.51%          $1,000
2. Aon(*)                       6.45           10,000
3. Transamerica Premier(*)      6.43            1,000
4. TIAA-CREF(*)                 6.38              250
5. Flex-fund(*)                 6.35            2,500
   NATL AVERAGE                 6.00%

                                WEB ADDRESS           TOLL-FREE
Taxable                            (WWW.)               NUMBER

1. Strong Investors(*)           estronq.com         800-368-1030
2. Aon(*)                            (#)             800-266-3637
3. Transamerica Premier(*)   transamericafunds.com   800-892-7587
4. TIAA-CREF(*)                 tiaa-cref.org        800-223-1200
5. Flex-fund(*)                 flexfunds.com        800-325-3539
                                 TAX. EQ. YIELD
                     RECENT         28%/31%         MIN.
Tax-free          30-DAY YIELD      BRACKET       INVEST.

1. Strong            4.31%         6.0%//6.2%     $2,500
2. Vanguard          4.21           5.8/6.1        3,000
3. ABN-AMRO(*)       4.11           5.7/6.0        2,000
4. USAA              4.09           5.7/5.9        3,000
5. Calvert           4.08           5.7/5.9        2,000
   NATL AVERAGE      3.69%         5.1%/5.3%

                     WEB ADDRESS          TOLL-FREE
Tax-free                (WWW.)              NUMBER

1. Strong            estrong.com         800-368-1030
2. Vanquard          vanguard.com        800-635-1511
3. ABN-AMRO(*)    abnamrofunds-usa.com   800-443-4725
4. USAA                   (#)            800-531-8448
5. Calvert          calvertfunds.com     800-368-2748

(*) Fund is waiving all or a portion of its expenses.

(#) Rates not available on Web site

SOURCE: Money Fund Report, iMoneyNet Inc., One Research Dr., Westborough, MA 01585; 508-616-6600; www.imoneynet.com

Top-Yielding Certificates of Deposit

                                             RECENT       MIN.
6-month                                    ANN. YIELD    AMOUNT

1. Nexity Bank (Ala.)([dagger])              7.20%      $1,000
2. VirtualBank (Fla.)([dagger])              7.10        5,000
3. Giantbank.com (Fla.)([dagger])            7.01        2,500
4. DeepGreen Bank (Ohio)([dagger])           7.01        1,000
5. Capital Crossing Bank (Mass.)             7.00        2,500
   NATL AVERAGE                              5.27%

                                             RECENT       MIN.
1-year                                     ANN. YIELD    AMOUNT

1. Principal Bank(Iowa)([dagger])            7.28%      $1,000
2. DeepGreen Bank (Ohio)([dagger])           7.21        1,000
3. Nexity Bank (Ala.)([dagger])              7.20        1,000
4. USAccess Bank (Ky.)                       7.10          500
5. Capital Crossing Bank (Mass.)             7.10        2,500
   NATL AVERAGE                              5.64%

                                             RECENT       MIN.
5-year                                     ANN. YIELD    AMOUNT

1. Capital One (Va.)                         7.60%      $10,000
2. Principal Bank (Iowa)[(dagger])           7.55         1,000
3. First Internet Bank of Ind.([dagger])     7.50         1,000
4. Provident Bank (Ohio)                     7.49         1,000
5. Key Bank (Ohio)                           7.36         5,000
   NATL AVERAGE                              6.02%

                                                 WEB ADDRESS
6-month                                             (WWW.)

1. Nexity bank (Ala.)([dagger])                 nexitybank.com
2. VirtualBank (Fla.)([dagger])                 virtualbank.com
3. Giantbank.com (Fla.)([dagger])               giantbank.com
4. DeepGreen Bank (Ohio)([dagger])            deepgreenbank.com
5. Capital Crossing Bank (Mass.)           capitalcrossingbank.com

                                                 WEB ADDRESS
1-year                                              (WWW.)

1. Principal Bank(Iowa)([dagger])               principal.com
2. DeepGreen Bank (Ohio)([dagger])            deepgreenbank.com
3. Nexity Bank (Ala.)([dagger])                 nexitybank.com
4. USAccess Bank (Ky.)                         usaccessbank.com
5. Capital Crossing Bank (Mass.)           capitalcrossingbank.com

                                                 WEB ADDRESS
5-year                                              (WWW.)

1. Capital One (Va.)                            capitalone.com
2. Principal Bank (Iowa)[(dagger])              principal.com
3. First Internet Bank of Ind.([dagger])         firstib.com
4. Provident Bank (Ohio)                      provident-bank.com
5. Key Bank (Ohio)                               keybank.com

                                             TOLL-FREE
6-month                                       NUMBER

1. Nexity bank (Ala.)([dagger])            877-738-6391
2. VirtualBank (Fla.)([dagger])            877-998-2265
3. Giantbank.com (Fla.)([dagger])          877-446-4200
4. DeepGreen Bank (Ohio)([dagger])         888-576-9238
5. Capital Crossing Bank (Mass.)           877-976-7722

                                             TOLL-FREE
1-year                                        NUMBER

1. Principal Bank(Iowa)([dagger])          800-672-3343
2. DeepGreen Bank (Ohio)([dagger])         888-576-9238
3. Nexity Bank (Ala.)([dagger])            877-738-6391
4. USAccess Bank (Ky.)                     877-369-2265
5. Capital Crossing Bank (Mass.)           877-976-7722

                                             TOLL-FREE
5-year                                        NUMBER

1. Capital One (Va.)                       800-564-7426
2. Principal Bank (Iowa)[(dagger])         800-672-3343
3. First Internet Bank of Ind.([dagger])   888-873-3424
4. Provident Bank (Ohio)                   800-335-2220
5. Key Bank (Ohio)                         800-872-5553