[PRCo] OT:____Pittsburgh__Has__and__Needs__Life__Insurance

[James B. Holland]

Forget where I found this but it is amusingly interesting:::::::

Jim__Holland


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Pittsburgh ranks high among those cities where residents are more likely 
to need life insurance.       Pittsburghers have the nation's 
eighth-highest body mass -- that's fat -- and the seventh-highest 
incidence of smoking, averaging six packs a month for each household.

City among most 'fiscally fit'

By Andrew Conte
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, July 21, 2004


Pittsburgh nears insolvency.
        Pittsburgh must cut its budget.
        Pittsburgh must raise taxes.
Pittsburgh must lay off employees.

Pittsburgh is ranked as this nation's fourth-most "fiscally fit" city by 
State Farm Life Insurance.

What?

State Farm says the metro area's residents are generally in good 
financial shape, unlike their hometown.

                "Even (with the city) being on the verge of bankruptcy, 
there are some good things the people of Pittsburgh are doing," said 
Christopher Thomas, State Farm spokesman.

                Pittsburghers are more fiscally fit on issues such as 
investments and life insurance than residents of almost every other 
major city, according to the study conducted for State Farm by 
Sperling's BestPlaces.

                Pittsburghers trail only the residents of Salt Lake 
City; Portland, Ore.; and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. -- the 
top three finishers.

                Pittsburgh -- defined as the metropolitan statistical 
area of Allegheny, Westmoreland, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Fayette 
counties -- tops the list for investments, with average household 
savings of $62,000. It has the highest percentage of households with 
life insurance, 47 percent.

                Pittsburgh also ranks high among those cities where 
residents are more likely to need life insurance. Pittsburghers have the 
nation's eighth-highest body mass -- that's fat -- and the 
seventh-highest incidence of smoking, averaging six packs a month for 
each household.

                If anything, Pittsburghers might have learned from the 
city's financial meltdown. People living in cities with low household 
incomes -- Pittsburgh ranks fourth-lowest with a median income of 
$39,000 -- tend to plan more for the future, the study found.

                "(Pittsburghers) might not be doing that well, but 
they're making the most of it," said Bert Sperling, who conducted the study.

                Residents of wealthier places are more likely to spend 
their money than to save it or buy life insurance. The three least 
fiscally fit cities: Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Top 10 fiscally fit cities

1. Salt Lake City

2. Portland, Ore.

3. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.

4. Pittsburgh

5. Orlando, Fla.

6. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

7. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

8. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.

9. Indianapolis

10. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.