First Steps After a Tornado
First Steps After a Tornado

United Policyholders is a nonprofit organization that is a voice and an information resource for insurance consumers in all 50 states.  UP has helped guide disaster survivors on the road to recovery since 1991. Use this information with The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory…
The Good Neighbor is in the Dog House
The Good Neighbor is in the Dog House

According to the Insurance Information Institute, State Farm insures nearly a fifth of all homes in the United States. Let that sink in. One insurance company holds the financial health of one fifth of all the homeowners in America in their hands. So the claim…
The Roof Over Your Head
The Roof Over Your Head

If you haven’t had to think about the roof over your head recently, consider yourself lucky…then take a moment to check your insurance policy to see how your roof is covered. Your insurer may have reduced what they’ll pay if it gets damaged and needs…
All Eyes on Insurance ~ All Hands on Deck
All Eyes on Insurance ~ All Hands on Deck

California Advocacy UPdate – April 2026 It’s been a busy year for our Advocacy and Action team in California so far. We helped shape the findings of a Commissioner’s Smoke Damage and Insurance Task Force as an appointed member, contributed to an important victory in…
In Support of Insurance Reform in Hawaii
In Support of Insurance Reform in Hawaii

United Policyholders is working part to advance Insurance Reform in Hawaii.  Below is the recent testimony from UP’s Roadmap to Recovery Liaison on Maui: Aloha Chair and Members of the Committee, My name is Sherry Peterson, and I am here in strong support of SB…
IMPACT Report: Roadmap to Recovery® Financial Decision-Making Clinic
IMPACT Report: Roadmap to Recovery® Financial Decision-Making Clinic

United Policyholders (“UP”), in collaboration with the Financial Planning Association, Los Angeles Chapter, (“FPA/LA”) hosted a one-day Roadmap to Recovery® event that featured limited scope, in-person and online confidential pro bono (no charge) consultations with Certified Financial Planner® volunteers and a Resource Fair. The Resource…
Short term gain, long term pain
Short term gain, long term pain

It clearly serves the best interests of policyholders (consumers), lenders, and our economy generally when property insurance policies cover the cost of replacing destroyed homes and restoring damaged homes to pre-loss condition with as little additional financial burden on the policyholder (beyond the premium they paid)…
Insurance Reform in Hawaii
Insurance Reform in Hawaii

This blog was written by Sherry Peterson, UP’s Roadmap to Recovery Liaison on Maui I began working with United Policyholders in March 2024 as the Roadmap to Recovery (R2R) Liaison and an Equal Justice Fellow. My work focused on helping Maui wildfire survivors navigate insurance…
Cover Your ASSets
Cover Your ASSets

As UP begins our 35th year(!) helping insurance consumers before and after disasters, we know that even the savviest people can find themselves underinsured after a loss…learning the hard way that you can’t blindly trust that your home insurance is current with the value of…
Guest Blog: Will New York Ever Become a Bad Faith State?
Guest Blog: Will New York Ever Become a Bad Faith State?

Guest Blog by: Garrett J. Coleman J.D., Class of 2025, University of Virginia School of Law As it stands now, New York insureds have few options when they are wrongfully denied coverage or face unjustified delays from their insurers.  While New York does regulate the conduct of…
We made a BIG impact in 2025!
We made a BIG impact in 2025!

“Your group and webinars are just amazing and most useful. The best resource and people we’ve encountered. We are so grateful for everything you do.” – Christine, 2025 LA Wildfire Survivor Roadmap to Recovery® Program Within a week of the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles,…
Giving thanks to those who pay it forward
Giving thanks to those who pay it forward

This month’s tip from the non-profit that has your back when insurance matters is to recognize and be grateful for our previous disaster survivor volunteers who share their hard-earned wisdom and help United Policyholders make a BIG, positive impact on people’s lives and financial health all across…
Where We Stand: A Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights
Where We Stand: A Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, combined with the rising cost of repairs and building materials, has destabilized the home insurance market. Homeowners increasingly face skyrocketing premium prices, and many are losing coverage as insurance companies pull out of regional markets altogether. At the…
Woolsey Fire Survivor Pays it Forward
Woolsey Fire Survivor Pays it Forward

When the Mountain Fire erupted in Ventura County in November 2024, Shelly Hiskey reached out to United Policyholders with a simple email. “Do you need help with the Mountain Fire, I am local and am willing to help.” Shelly was trained as a UP volunteer…
Calwood Fire ~ 5 Years Later
Calwood Fire ~ 5 Years Later

As we take a moment to mark the 5 year anniversary of the 2020 Cameron Peak, Calwood, Lefthand Canyon, and East Troublesome Fires, we take a look back at one wildfire survivor’s journey home.  Here is Kevin’s story, in his own words: “I have been…
Colorado Roadmap to Preparedness UPdate
Colorado Roadmap to Preparedness UPdate

We have been hard at work this year helping Colorado residents be adequately insured and wildfire prepared through our Roadmap to Preparedness program. Our most recent Colorado Shopping Help Webinar (watchable online) features up to date guidance from a panel of experts including the CO Division of Insurance,…
Marshall Fire Impact Report
Marshall Fire Impact Report

We are proud to share our Marshall Fire Impact Report. While there is no “end” to a recovery, there are many tangible signs that point to a healthy recovery in the greater Boulder area and UP is proud of our contribution to the process that…
Protecting Your Home
Protecting Your Home

As we wrap up National Preparedness Month, take a moment to prepare for what happens after a disaster. With insurance premiums rising to all-time highs, and coverage disputes in the news, many people are questioning whether it’s worth buying. But here’s a reality check from the Los Angeles wildfires…