Financial Products You Should Skip

Are you wasting your money on unnecessary financial products?

The experts at Consumer Reports say you could be. They've outlined some you mioght be better off passing on than paying for, as CBS News Business and Economics Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis explained on "The Early Show."

RENTAL CAR INSURANCE

You're at the counter, they ask if you want to buy it. Should you? Nope. You most likely don't need it. Check your personal auto policy. The same coverage and deductibles you carry on your car will apply, in most cases, to a vehicle you rent for pleasure. Also, many credit cards will cover you.

EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON COMPUTERS, APPLIANCES, CARS

Service plans often cost more than you'll recover, and many have fine-print terms that can limit or disqualify your claims. Instead, do your homework and choose reliable brands. Buy with credit card that offer extended warranties. And negotiate with retailers and manufacturers if you do have a problem.

SPECIFIED DISEASE INSURANCE, Such as Insurance for Cancer, or Stroke

This applies to any disease-specific coverage. It may duplicate or even negate what you already have under your basic health insurance. These policies are no substitute for comprehensive medical coverage. Instead, check your health policy. If you're on Medicare and want more coverage, consider buying a Medicare supplemental policy.

IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION

You can protect yourself! Place a security freeze on your credit reports at all three major credit-reporting bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). That will deny access to your credit report to prospective creditors and prevent a scammer from setting up an account in your name. And you can request a free credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus.