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Les Masterson
Deputy Editor, Insurance
About
Les Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before covering insurance, Les was a news editor and reporter for Patch and Community Newspaper Company and also covered health care, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans for multiple websites.
Les Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance , including auto, home, life and health, for a decade and previously wrote about health care, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans.
He has covered health care from the patient, insurer and provider angles over the years, which offers a well-rounded look at health insurance and its potential pitfalls for consumers.
Before covering insurance and finance, he worked in community journalism, where he won multiple editing and writing awards. He was also honored with community awards, including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award from the town of Arlington, Massachusetts, for his efforts in the community when he was editor of The Arlington Advocate.
When not writing about insurance, Les has visited 43 major league baseball ballparks and contributed biographies for five books about baseball history published by the Society for American Baseball Research.
Expertise
- Health insurance
- Choosing a health plan
- Comparing health plans
- Buying car insurance
- Shopping for home insurance
Achievements
- More than a decade of insurance experience
- Covered health care from all angles (insurer, consumer and provider)
- Over 25 years of editing and reporting experience
Education
Salem State University, Bachelor’s degree in communications with concentration in history.
Honors and Awards
- Best E-Newsletter (news category) from American Society of Business Publication Editors
- Gold Award for Best E-newsletter (news category) from American Society of Business Publication Editors
- Breaking News Writing from Massachusetts Press Association
- Multiple awards for newspaper general excellence, headline writing, editorial writing, commuter issues reporting and history writing from New England Press Association
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Does Health Insurance Cover Dental Care?
Health insurance doesn’t generally cover dental care, but there are exceptions when a health plan may pay for dental work. You usually need to buy a separate dental insurance plan to get covered for routine dental work like crowns, tooth... -
Best Health Insurance For Retirees Of 2024
Most retirees get Medicare at age 65, but there are health insurance options for retirees if you’re not yet eligible for the federal health insurance program. Options include an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plan. These are plans available through... -
Openly Home Insurance Review 2024
Openly home insurance offers generous coverage for high-value homes and homeowners. On the other hand, Openly doesn’t provide insurance quotes online and doesn’t sell other types of insurance like most other insurers do. -
Top Benefits Of A Health Insurance Plan In 2024
Having health insurance can play an important role not just in your health, but it can also keep you from falling into medical debt. Going without health insurance coverage can result in hefty out-of-pocket costs that can take years to... -
What Is Home Contents Insurance?
Contents insurance reimburses you for theft or damage of your personal property caused by a problem covered by your home insurance or renters insurance policy. It is also called personal property coverage. What Does Home Contents Insurance Cover? Home contents... -
The Hartford/AARP Homeowners Insurance Review 2024
The Hartford/AARP home insurance sells policies in 36 states. Though anyone in those states can buy a policy from The Hartford/AARP, only AARP members are eligible for a membership discount. -
Kin Home Insurance Review 2024
Kin home insurance stands out in our analysis because it sells flood insurance, which is a benefit not found with many competitors. You can buy flood coverage as a policy endorsement that may have higher dwelling and property limits than... -
Does Home Insurance Cover Asbestos Removal?
Own an older home? If you’re preparing to renovate or recovering from a fire, flood, or other damage to your residence, there may be a chance that the older construction materials in your property that need to be replaced contain... -
Homesite Homeowners Insurance Review 2024
Homesite has a low level of complaints filed with state regulators compared to the industry average, which can signify customer satisfaction. Its rates are higher than some competitors, but if you’re interested in a wide range of optional benefits, Homesite... -
Tower Hill Homeowners Insurance Review 2024
Tower Hill homeowners insurance provides policies to Florida homeowners that are cheaper than the state average. The company also offers flood insurance policies, so you’re able to get both policies from Tower Hill, which may make it easier if you... -
EPremium Renters Insurance Review 2024
EPremium is an insurance agency that sells renters insurance policies from multiple companies, including Spinnaker, Century National, Cypress, and Trisura Speciality. EPremium is not an insurance company. -
What’s The Difference Between A Deductible vs. Out-of-Pocket Maximum?
A deductible is what you pay for healthcare services before your health insurance plan begins paying for care. The out-of-pocket maximum is the most you can pay for in-network care during a year. These two factors influence how much you... -
Best Health Insurance Companies Of July 2024
Kaiser Permanente and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the best health insurance companies that offer Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. Both companies top the ratings in our analysis of quality ratings, complaints, deductibles and plans offered. Still, it can be... -
Best Cheap Car Insurance For Teens And Young Drivers Of July 2024
Auto insurance costs for teens can be shocking due to the high risk of accidents these inexperienced drivers pose to insurers. We found that parents often see their car insurance bills double after adding a teen to a policy. Our... -
Best Short-Term Health Insurance Companies Of 2024
Everest’s Flex Term Health Insurance, Pivot Health’s Epic Base and UnitedHealthcare’s Copay Select Max are the best short-term health insurance plans, according to our analysis. Short-term health insurance helps pay for medical care if you have a gap in insurance... -
Does Renters Insurance Cover Water Damage?
Whether renters insurance covers water damage depends on the cause of the damage. For instance, renters insurance will pay for damage caused by a sudden burst pipe but you likely won’t get money if a flood from a storm floods... -
Mobile Home Renters Insurance
Mobile home renters insurance is the same as standard renters insurance for an apartment or house. The only difference is that you rent a mobile home. Find out which options are available for mobile home renters insurance, and how a... -
Does Insurance Cover Therapy?
Health insurance plans typically cover mental health treatment like talk therapy, inpatient hospitalization, substance abuse treatment, emergency care and medications. But your need for these services and pharmaceuticals must be deemed medically necessary, which requires a diagnosis. Does Insurance Cover... -
How To Get Health Insurance Without A Job
Having a job provides more than a salary—it often provides valuable health insurance. But how do you get health insurance if you’re unemployed? There are multiple options, including private health insurance, COBRA, Affordable Care Act plans, public health insurance like... -
What Is Child-Only Health Insurance?
Child-only health insurance is coverage that helps pay for childrens’ medical bills and some types of preventive care. Health insurance for children is available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace at HealthCare.gov, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and... -
The Cheapest SUVs To Insure In 2024
The cheapest SUV to insure is the Subaru Outback, according to our analysis of nearly 180 SUV insurance rates. It costs an average of $1,851 a year to insure the Outback, which has an MSRP of $28,895. Insurance for an... -
Average Cost Of Car Insurance 2024
Car insurance is required to drive legally in nearly all states, so it’s helpful to know what you can expect to pay for coverage. Forbes Advisor found the average cost of car insurance is $2,150 for full coverage and $467... -
Chubb Home Insurance Review 2024
Chubb offers excellent customer service and we believe it’s especially good for owners of high-value homes. The company offers extended replacement cost coverage, plus the option to receive a cash settlement if your house is destroyed and you do not... -
Compare Car Insurance Rates (July 2024)
As auto insurance rates rise nationwide, the quest for low-cost coverage becomes increasingly challenging. To start your search for budget-friendly rates, compare car insurance quotes from a wide range of insurers. The process is relatively simple and could potentially result... -
Best Workers’ Compensation Insurance Of 2024
We found that CopperPoint, Erie, Everest Insurance, Great American, ICW, Pinnacol Assurance and Texas Mutual are the best workers’ compensation insurance companies. Each company scored five out of five stars in our evaluation of 25 large insurers. If you're a... -
A Brief Guide On How To Insure Jewelry
Maybe your grandma left you an heirloom ruby necklace valued at $10,000 after she passed away. Or perhaps you’ve got a $30,000 engagement ring on your finger after a proposal on Valentine’s Day. You may have even treated yourself, and... -
How Much Does Flood Insurance Cost?
Flood insurance costs an average of $72 a month from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), according to Forbes Advisor's analysis. Policies from the NFIP are also known as FEMA flood insurance policies. Floods are the most common natural disaster... -
First Time Home Buyers Insurance Guide 2024
First-time home buyers have many considerations when shopping for a new home, including finding the best neighborhood and a house at a reasonable price. While budget and location are important, don’t forget about finding the best homeowners insurance policy. There... -
Short-Term Rental Insurance
It’s important to have the right type of insurance before renting your house or apartment through a platform like Airbnb or Vrbo. Most of the best homeowners insurance policies exclude coverage for “business use” of your home, which means you...
About
Les Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before covering insurance, Les was a news editor and reporter for Patch and Community Newspaper Company and also covered health care, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans for multiple websites.