Current Events in March 2025

Kin, a direct-to-consumer, digital home insurance provider, has expanded into California with a homeowners insurance product, something that's not very easy to find in California these days. 

The policies in California are marketed and distributed through Kin Insurance Services, a California surplus lines broker. California policies are underwritten by a non-admitted carrier in partnership with Kin.

A non-admitted insurance carrier (also called a surplus lines insurer) is not licensed by the state's Department of Insurance but is allowed to sell policies under special regulations. These insurers can offer coverage that admitted (state-licensed) insurers won’t or can’t provide—often for high-risk areas like those prone to wildfires, earthquakes, or floods, which pretty much sums up some of California's most populated areas.

Non-admitted carriers generally step into areas where established carriers have pulled out because of high risks and heavy losses. They offer much the same coverage but are not covered by all the rules that admitted carriers are.

Among other things, this means that if the insurer goes bankrupt, policyholders cannot turn to the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) for compensation.

Chicago, Illinois-based Kin was founded in 2016, and reports more than 240,000 policies in effect.

Coverage Areas

As of early 2025, Kin offers homeowners insurance in the following states:​nerdwallet.com

• Alabama​

• Arizona​

• California​

• Florida​

• Georgia​

• Louisiana​

• Mississippi​

• South Carolina​

• Tennessee​

• Texas​

• Virginia​

The company says it specializes in providing coverage in disaster-prone areas, such as regions susceptible to hurricanes and floods, offering tailored policies to meet the unique needs of these homeowners. ​

Does vaping help tobacco smokers kick the habit? 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California at San Diego found that the answer to that question is no. In fact, U.S. tobacco smokers may be more likely to smoke more after vaping – not less. 

“Most smokers think vaping will help you quit smoking,” study co-author John P. Pierce, Ph.D., said in a news release. 

“However, this belief is not supported by science to date. While some researchers have suggested that smokers who switch to daily vaping will be more successful in quitting smoking, we studied quitting success among both daily and non-daily vapers and came up with a quite definitive answer.”

The study

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 6,000 smokers in the U.S. who were enrolled in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Of that group, 943 also vaped, and the researchers compared the outcomes with those who didn’t vape. 

Additionally, the researchers were able to look at some of the factors that most affect whether or not smokers are successful with quitting. These included things like a willingness to stop smoking, regular smoking habits, socioeconomic factors, and more. 

“For example, if a smoker is already very interested in quitting, has a smoke-free home, and does not smoke daily, they are much more likely to successfully quit regardless of whether they vape or not,” senior author Karen Messer, Ph.D., said in a news release. 

“We matched each smoker/vaper on such characteristics. You have to make very sure you’re comparing like with like, and that’s why this analysis is so definitive.” 

How does vaping affect smoking cessation?

Ultimately, the researchers found that vaping wasn’t helpful in aiding smokers in quitting the habit. 

The study found that those who vaped daily were over 4% less likely to quit smoking, while those who vaped regularly – but not every day – were over 5% less likely to quit smoking. 

Quitting both traditional cigarettes and vaping was nearly 15% less likely among those who vaped daily, and over 7% less likely for those who vaped regularly but not daily. 

"As the public health community continues to grapple with the complexities of tobacco control, it is essential that we rely on rigorous scientific evidence to inform our policies and interventions,” Messer said. “Our research shows that misleading associations between vaping and smoking cessation routinely occur unless confounding characteristics are carefully accounted for.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has secured an early victory in its legal battle against Seek Capital and its CEO, Roy Ferman, after the U.S. Court for the Central District of California granted a preliminary injunction against the company.

The ruling prohibits Seek Capital from making false claims regarding small business loans or lines of credit and prevents the company from contacting any consumers whose information was obtained before February 20, 2025. The injunction is intended to prevent further harm to small business owners as the case proceeds to trial.

The FTC originally filed its complaint in November 2024, alleging that Seek Capital targeted new and aspiring small business owners with deceptive promises of securing business loans or lines of credit.

Instead of delivering on these promises, the company charged clients thousands of dollars to open personal credit cards in their names. According to the FTC, these fraudulent practices have cost small business owners over $37 million.

The district court found that the FTC was likely to succeed on all its claims and deemed the injunction necessary to prevent Seek Capital from continuing to collect payments from affected consumers. The court also noted that the company's deceptive practices warranted immediate intervention to mitigate further financial harm.