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There’s nothing quite like the feeling of driving a brand-new car off the lot. The spotless interior, the gleaming paint, the distinctive “new car smell”—it’s a moment of pure excitement. You have signed the papers, secured the loan, and your vehicle is covered by your essential car insurance policy, which includes collision and comprehensive coverage.

But here’s the brutal reality check your finance manager may have casually alluded to: depreciation. The instant those brand-new tires hit the pavement, that vehicle’s value takes a serious nosedive. Most vehicles depreciate by 20% or more in their very first year on the road.

Here’s where the important difference is: Your regular auto insurance, even with a “full coverage” including collision and comprehensive, only pays out an amount up to the vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV) at the time of a total loss. This is not the same thing as the purchase price or the amount you owe the bank.

That is no minor fluctuation, but rather a financial gap that could seriously expose you in case the worst happens. This is where gap insurance or guaranteed asset protection comes in, playing the vital role of the wallet’s safety net. Before you delve deep into quotes, Cheap Insurance explains what you need to know about gap insurance.

What is Gap Insurance? (And Why Does It Matter?)

To understand gap insurance, you first have to understand the gap it covers, which is a common issue when securing a loan for an expensive asset like a new car.

The Anatomy of the Gap

When you finance a new car, you owe the lender a specific loan balance. If your car is declared a total loss (due to a covered event like an accident or theft), your standard auto insurance policy with comprehensive or collision coverage pays out an amount based on the vehicle’s ACV. The ACV is the fair market value of the vehicle just before the incident.

Because of rapid depreciation, this ACV is almost always lower than your outstanding loan balance. Your insurance company will only reimburse you for the ACV.

Example Scenario:

• Day one: You buy a new SUV for $40,000, financing the full amount.
• Month six: You are involved in an accident, and the car is totaled. Your loan balance is still $38,000.
• The problem: Due to depreciation, your insurance company determines the ACV is only $32,000.

In this scenario, your auto insurance company writes you a settlement check for $32,000. You still owe the bank $38,000. That leaves you with a $6,000 shortfall that you must pay out of pocket for a car you no longer own. That is the gap.

Gap insurance is designed to cover this specific, painful difference. It settles the remaining loan balance, ensuring you do not walk away from a totaled car with nothing but a huge debt.

The following chart was created by CheapInsurance.com based on statistical data from Kelley Blue Book, LendingTree, and AutoNation.

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Jack Goras // 2025 NACCHO360 Conference

As CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Lori Freeman spends much of her time on the road talking with the people on the front lines of public health.

It’s been a challenging year for local health departments.

The federal government in March announced it was pulling back $11.4 billion in funding allocated across the nation for pandemic response and infrastructure, an action that has been debated in the courts. More cuts are expected amid a dramatic reorganization of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has traditionally sent about 80% of its domestic budget to states, localities, tribal organizations, and other public health partners.

Meanwhile, swaths of the American public have grown increasingly distrustful of scientific and public health institutions.

Healthbeat spoke with Freeman to get her insights on five questions about some of the current challenges facing local health departments. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

What public health concept do you wish the public better understood?

It’s this concept that from the youngest age possible, that public health is around them, keeping them safe.

They don’t see it, but they need to know that for all of their lives, that we will be there on the ground, in their community, helping to make sure that there’s safe water to drink, safe air to breathe, safe places to play and walk, safe restaurants to eat at, safe pools to swim in.

We need to make it real for them, because we just haven’t done that.

You recently co-authored a journal article titled, “Where Do We Go From Here? The Way Forward for State and Local Public Health.” The article notes that the future of public health depends on rebuilding trust with the community. What are some ways to do that?

We talk about this a lot. There is a lot of distrust right now in our federal government, and we have to not automatically extend that distrust further down to the community, because that simply isn’t the case.

Broadly speaking, our local health departments still are very well trusted in their communities. Not as much as the No. 1 primary care physician, but close up there.

For me, this is about how we retain trust, not regain trust. We had some missteps during the pandemic, but they weren’t all of our fault at local public

The KonG // Shutterstock

If you’ve been waiting for mortgage rates to drop significantly, 2026 may not bring major relief — but there is good news. Zonda’s economists forecast that rates will stay in the low-6% range for most of 2026.

That’s higher than the ultra-low rates of 2020–2021, but lower than the 7%+ levels that made headlines in 2023 and parts of 2024, NewHomeSource reports.

This “higher-for-longer” environment has become one of the defining factors shaping buyer behavior.

Why Rates Are Staying Elevated

Mortgage rates today reflect more than just the Federal Reserve’s policy rate. According to the report, they’re also affected by:

• Sticky inflation
• High Treasury issuance
• A large federal deficit
• Investor sentiment and demand for mortgage-backed securities

These forces have kept rates from moving lower, even as economic growth has slowed.

Small rate drops matter — a lot

Even if rates remain in the low-6% range, tiny movements could open the door for many buyers.

A chart in the report shows that dropping rates from 6.25% to 6.0% would allow 2.1 million more households to qualify for the median-priced home.

That means even modest declines — 0.5%,0.25%, or even 0.125% — can shift affordability in meaningful ways.

What Buyers Can Do in a Higher-for-Longer Market

1. Consider new construction

Builders often offer rate buydowns that can drop your effective rate into the 5s or even high-4s — something rarely available in resale.

2. Shop lenders aggressively

Rate spreads between lenders can be wide. Two lenders quoting 6.25% vs. 5.875% could determine whether you qualify.

3. Look for a small dip — and act fast

If rates ease slightly this year — or even for a week — your buying window may open unexpectedly.

Bottom Line

Rates aren’t expected to plunge in 2026, but they don’t need to. Even small shifts could dramatically increase affordability and bring more buyers back into the market. Staying ready — and watching the numbers closely — will help you take advantage of the right moment.

This story was produced by NewHomeSource and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

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Gerald Peplow // Shutterstock

During the biggest travel week of the year, the chance of flight delays paired with declining gas prices in many states prompted many families to drive to their Thanksgiving destinations. However, gas prices in some areas increased substantially, even outpacing general inflation. So for those crossing state lines, paying attention to gas prices can help travelers save money — particularly when prices swing from $2.50 to $4.59 per gallon depending on where you are.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 50 states based on the one-year change in gas prices as of Nov. 25, 2025, as well as the current average statewide price for a regular gallon.

• Gas is up 7.6% year over year in Oregon. Oregon’s gas prices increased most over the past year, with a regular gallon going from $3.55 last Thanksgiving to $3.82 this week. Alaska had a similarly high annual increase in gas prices, jumping 7.1% from $3.48 to $3.72. Idaho ranked third with a 5.7% increase to $3.27 per gallon.
• In Colorado, gas prices dropped 8.7%. Gas prices declined most in Colorado. Last year, a regular gallon averaged $2.90, compared to $2.65 today. Wyoming had the second largest decline at 5.0%, followed by Wisconsin at 4.4%. In total, gas prices dropped in 28 states this year.
• Gas is only $2.50 per gallon in Oklahoma. Oklahoma boasts the lowest average gas prices this Thanksgiving. Mississippi has the second-lowest average gas price, currently at $2.60. Louisiana ($2.62), Arkansas ($2.64) and Colorado ($2.65) also claim some of the lowest gas prices this week.
• Californians are paying the most for gas. The price of a regular gallon now averages $4.59 in California. This is after a 3.3% increase from a year ago, putting California in the sixth-largest price increase. Hawai‘i has the second-most expensive gas at $4.44 per regular gallon, followed by Washington at $4.19.

States are ranked based on the one-year change in gas prices between Thanksgiving week 2024 and 2025. Current state average prices for a regular gallon are also included.

SmartAsset

Gas Price Changes by State

States are ranked based on the one-year change in gas prices between Thanksgiving week 2024 and 2025. Current state average prices for a regular gallon are also included.

1. Oregon

• One-year change in gas prices: 7.64%
• Current average regular gallon price: $3.82
• Average gas price one year ago: $3.55

2. Alaska

• O

Huyogo Simbolon // Shutterstock

South Korea’s cultural capital is at an all-time high, with properties like “K-pop Demon Hunters” dominating streaming charts for movie and music categories alike.

This trend is evident to pop culture-obsessed consumers, but there’s an economic side to the story that’s relevant to businesses in the U.S.

Specifically, South Korea’s rise as a cosmetics powerhouse is becoming clear, with exports surpassing those of many of its international competitors.

Incellderm provides an overview of the “K-Wave” economy to illustrate the extent of its influence, and what this means for North American retailers in particular.

Increasing Cosmetic Dominance

Data from the International Trade Council shows exactly how impressive South Korea’s rise to prominence in the global cosmetics sector has been in the past couple of years.

In Q1 of 2025 alone, its exports for this category of goods hit $3.61 billion. That represents a 20.3% year-on-year uptick.

By comparison, the U.S. exported cosmetics worth $3.57 billion between January and April. The YoY growth rate of 1.1% looks a lot more like stagnation than expansion.

South Korea remained behind France, the world’s incumbent leader in cosmetics exports, in Q1. However, the rise in French exports of 6.3% YoY implies that it’s entirely possible South Korea might overtake it in the not-too-distant future. It all depends on whether the current trend continues.

The subsequent quarters have been similarly robust, signalling that South Korea is on track for another record year for cosmetics exports. The Korea Customs Service confirmed that Q3 exports were up 17.6% YoY and that year-to-date international sales now sat at $8.52 billion, with one final quarter to go.

America’s South Korean Cosmetics Infatuation

In addition to indicating that South Korea is now a bigger exporter of cosmetics than the U.S., another revelation from official data is that America is the country most responsible for its ongoing rise to expected dominance.

19.7% of all cosmetics exported from South Korea reached the American retail market in Q3 of 2025. That’s ahead of the 18.5% slice accounted for by China in second place, and Japan’s more modest 9.7% stake.

Brands like Incellderm ICD Skincare have found favor with consumers in the U.S. for a number of reasons. Industry insiders claim that innovation in product design and marketing is the primary catalyst behind this trend. However, South Korea’s burgeoning pop culture clout is perhaps even more of a factor.

In the past decade, K-pop bands like BTS and Blackpink have broken through in the West. More recently, the aforementioned release of “K-pop Demon Hunters” has raised th