We get it…investing in risk reduction isn’t easy
We get it…investing in risk reduction isn’t easy

United Policyholders works hard to give people practical tips and guidance that’s realistic.  The risk of wildfires is making insurance alot more expensive and hard to buy in many U.S. states.  If you live in a wildfire-prone area, “hardening” your home and participating in community-wide risk…
Bach Talk: 30 Years and Counting
Bach Talk: 30 Years and Counting

As another challenging year draws to an end, I could not be more proud of our accomplishments or more grateful to our donors and volunteers. In our 30th year of service, UP continues to score wins for consumers, help people solve financially crippling insurance problems…
Thwarting insurers’ campaign to duck interruption compensation obligations to businesses
Thwarting insurers’ campaign to duck interruption compensation obligations to businesses

Fill in the blank and you’ll understand the public relations campaign the insurance industry uses over and over to maintain record profits by shirking obligations to their premium-paying customers and pass the buck to  taxpayers: “If you make us pay ______ claims we’ll go bankrupt.” …
Bach Talk – Oregon enacts pro-policyholder wildfire claim reforms
Bach Talk – Oregon enacts pro-policyholder wildfire claim reforms

We’re proud to report that UP recently helped enact H.B. 3272, a new Oregon law that will improve the flow of insurance funds for replacing wildfire-destroyed homes and property. UP has long advocated that on total loss claims where the homeowner did nothing to cause…
UP helping CA households struggling to find and afford home insurance
UP helping CA households struggling to find and afford home insurance

Through our Roadmap to Preparedness and Advocacy and Action programs, United Policyholders is continuing to work hard to help the thousands of California households that are struggling to keep their homes properly insured at a price they can afford and with a company they can…
UP joins 1500 other non-profits to help solve an insurance crisis hitting our sector
UP joins 1500 other non-profits to help solve an insurance crisis hitting our sector

A record number of Americans are in dire financial straits and relying on charitable sources for their meals.  The food banks and meal delivery services providing those meals are non-profit businesses. So is United Policyholders and the many partners we work with to provide free services…
Bach Talk – It’s time to restore insurance safety nets
Bach Talk – It’s time to restore insurance safety nets

Insurance benefits should be the primary source of funds for people and businesses to make repairs after adversity strikes. Unlike government aid that’s contingent on submitting an application, meeting eligibility criteria, waiting/processing time and taxpayer dollars, insurance funds are paid-for benefits that can be collected…
CA high court upholds right to paid-for business insurance protection
CA high court upholds right to paid-for business insurance protection

In a time when U.S. businesses are turning to courts across the U.S. to enforce their rights to insurance protection for COVID-19 losses, the CA Supreme Court delivered them a win this week in a long-simmering, high stakes battle over coverage in a different context…
Can businesses rely on insurance to overcome COVID-19 losses?
Can businesses rely on insurance to overcome COVID-19 losses?

The short answer is, for many it will be a fight. Bottom line:  Don’t take no for an answer until you’ve exhausted all arguments and avenues for help.  And there are many of them. United Policyholders is hard at work curating solid guidance to arm businesses…
#Nashville Strong – Eyes on Roof Repairs
#Nashville Strong – Eyes on Roof Repairs

United Policyholders is providing Roadmap to Recovery services to people and businesses impacted by the recent Nashville Tornadoes.  Thanks to our newest volunteer, Nashville VOAD officer Gary Ward, our Guides are being distributed at official help centers in the region.  Our Roadmap to Recovery help library…
Working to keep the HOME in home insurance
Working to keep the HOME in home insurance

Consumers buy home insurance where legally required AND for the peace of mind of knowing that if adversity strikes, the policy will generate money to deal with whatever that adversity is.  They don’t sit around thinking up doomsday scenarios of every possible event that could damage or…
Tips for shopping for home insurance in a challenging market
Tips for shopping for home insurance in a challenging market

It is not uncommon for people to break down in tears after getting a notice that their home insurer is dropping them as a customer.  In some cases, it’s tears of frustration that they paid all that money for insurance they never used, or tears…
Deadlines and Decisions: Two-Year Anniversary Bulletin for 2017 North Bay Fire impacted households
Deadlines and Decisions: Two-Year Anniversary Bulletin for 2017 North Bay Fire impacted households

Home insurance policies typically limit the amount of time you have to collect all available replacement cost and loss of use/ALE benefits and to file a lawsuit. Your insurance company is legally required to provide you with written notice 60 days before any deadline or benefit expiration they want…
THE PROTECTION GAP: Monitoring and addressing the extent to which US homes are under/uninsured: A national imperative
THE PROTECTION GAP: Monitoring and addressing the extent to which US homes are under/uninsured: A national imperative

In early August, 2019 at a national meeting of insurance regulators and stakeholders from across the country, United Policyholders helped set the stage for the important conversation that needs to be happening about the increasingly large gap between disaster recovery  costs and the amount of…
UP offers solutions to California’s home insurance crisis
UP offers solutions to California’s home insurance crisis

The problem: Generally speaking, insurance companies want to sell insurance. But they also want to be profitable.  Sometimes they will stop selling insurance in a region or to a group of customers they deem too risky.  They do this as a business strategy to improve profitability. …
Bach Talk: Your Money or Your Life (Insurance)
Bach Talk: Your Money or Your Life (Insurance)

  As with all types of insurance, you have choices to make when shopping for life insurance. If you’re in the market for life insurance, rates are the lowest they’ve been in 20 years. That is probably because fewer and fewer employers offer it as an employee…
A powerful disaster recovery model: Insurance Support Groups
A powerful disaster recovery model: Insurance Support Groups

Helping wildfire survivors form support groups by insurance company has been part of the United Policyholders’ menu of services since our beginning.  We’ve seen time and again how communicating with others who are navigating similar policy language, company rules, and adjuster personalities helps people overcome…
Full and fair insurance payouts foster safe and sound construction
Full and fair insurance payouts foster safe and sound construction

As anyone who has been involved in a major construction project will tell you, construction supervision is critical.  Contractor overhead and profit is what pays for that supervision, and it is a necessary expense of any project that involves multiple trades that have to be…