Volcano Watch: Many forms of sulfur are found on Kilauea Volcano
Volcano Watch: Many forms of sulfur are found on Kilauea Volcano

For many Hawaii residents, interactions with Kilauea Volcano’s eruptions is through vog — a hazy mixture of sulfur dioxide gas and sulfate particles. However, sulfur on Kilauea is not limited to vog components. Sulfur is an exceptional element in that its atoms have a range…
Watts UP: Progress in Puna
Watts UP: Progress in Puna

United Policyholders has been guiding Hawai’i residents on insurance matters since the Kilauea volcano erupted and released burning lava that destroyed homes and neighborhoods in the Puna region of the Big Island. Over 220 people attended the first forum we co-hosted in the area, and…
Regulators and the Predictive Modeling Challenge
Regulators and the Predictive Modeling Challenge

Big data, predictive models, neural networks — the world of insurance pricing is changing fast, as any actuary can attest. It falls to the regulators — some of them actuaries — to figure out how get the old rules to apply to this new world.…
Postfires reconstruction hums along in Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park
Postfires reconstruction hums along in Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park

This story originally appeared on PressDemocrat.com. The morning sun had risen nearly to the top of three burned trees when Samuel Garcia began framing the wall for a new home in Coffey Park. The mustachioed Garcia, wearing a soft-brimmed hat and suspenders that held up…
Mind the gap – Fill the holes
Mind the gap – Fill the holes

Any time the topic of insurance catches your attention is a good time to check on yours. Exclusions and high deductibles cause major protection gaps. Once again a UP R2R survey documented that 2/3 of wildfire survivors don’t have enough insurance to pay for their…
Thomas Fire and Debris Flow – Roadmap to Recovery Workshop June 26, 2018
Thomas Fire and Debris Flow – Roadmap to Recovery Workshop June 26, 2018

Our next Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Thomas Fire Survivors will be held on: Tuesday, June 26th from 5:30-7:30pm Montecito Union School Auditorium 385 San Ysidro Rd., Santa Barbara This workshop will cover navigating your insurance claim, asserting your rights, and sources of help. This workshop…
Below the law, below the belt
Below the law, below the belt

Liability insurance is considered such an essential protection in our society that anyone who drives is required by law to buy it in every state except New Hampshire. Renters and homeowners buy it. Businesses buy it. Why? Because accidents happen, people get hurt, property gets…
Hawaii Big Island UPdate
Hawaii Big Island UPdate

SPECIAL ALERT FOR PUNA RESIDENTS: Organizations to host insurance forum for residents affected by lava flows PUNA, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) – As the number of homes lost to lava since eruptions began climbs to 87, many lower Puna residents are uncertain about what — if anything — they’ll have to…
Improve disaster recovery through insurance reform
Improve disaster recovery through insurance reform

Insurance funds can and should fuel an individual’s or business’s ability to repair, rebuild, and regain financial health after a disaster. But as our surveys show, these funds don’t always flow as they should. Overly detailed proof requirements, bureaucratic delays, confusing depreciation, and unreasonably short…
UPdate on remedies for UNDERINSURED CA disaster survivors
UPdate on remedies for UNDERINSURED CA disaster survivors

Wildfire survivors in regions throughout California are using UP’s guidance on how to remedy the fact that they are grossly underinsured.  Upon learning that assurances they’d gotten and relied upon from insurers, agents, and brokers that their homes were adequately insured were untrue – these…
The Results Are In…
The Results Are In…

The bad news: Inadequate insurance and loss valuation disputes are slowing recovery from the devastating 2017 wildfires in Northern CA, according to UP’s most recent Roadmap to Recovery survey. A full 6 months after losing their homes, 80% of survey respondents have NOT settled the…
Mandatory arbitration, common foe of car buyers, bank customers and porn stars, under attack
Mandatory arbitration, common foe of car buyers, bank customers and porn stars, under attack

Mandatory arbitration, common foe of car buyers, bank customers and porn stars, under attack By L.M. Sixel March 22, 2018 0 Photo: SCOTT MCINTYRE, STR / NYT IMAGE 1 OF 5 Some auto dealers are opting out of mandatory arbitration, finding that the courts offer…
NFIP Reforms Implemented by FEMA, March 2018
NFIP Reforms Implemented by FEMA, March 2018

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency announces the Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Assistance/Subsidy Arrangement for private property insurers interested in participating in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Write Your Own Program. DATES: Interested insurers must submit intent…
While Congress kicks it down the road, FEMA implements it’s own NFIP reforms
While Congress kicks it down the road, FEMA implements it’s own NFIP reforms

Congress has again reauthorized, not reformed the National Flood Insurance Program in another in a series of short-term extensions that began in September, 2017 when the program expired. FEMA instituted some reforms of it’s own via the agency notice/rulemaking process and will be accepting public…
2017 North Bay Wildfire Recovery Survey is underway
2017 North Bay Wildfire Recovery Survey is underway

ATTENTION HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED BY THE 2017 WILDFIRES IN THE NORTH BAY, CALIFORNIA: Please take a few minutes to complete a short survey.  The purpose is to gather information about insurance and recovery, progress and problems.  The information we collect through this survey will help our…
Bach Talk: Impressive stats on the value of investing in mitigation
Bach Talk: Impressive stats on the value of investing in mitigation

According to recently released findings of the National Institute of Building Science, 23 years of federal mitigation grants provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Economic Development Administration (EDA) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), resulted in a national benefit of $6 for every $1…
February Roadmap to Recovery Workshop Schedule
February Roadmap to Recovery Workshop Schedule

This month, United Policyholders is hosting the following Roadmap to Recovery workshops for wildfire-impacted households: NAPA Tuesday, February 20th from 6-8pm ​Topic: Financial Decision-Making ​The Hall at St. John the Baptist Church 960 Caymus St., Napa SANTA ROSA Wednesday, February 21st from 6-8pm ​Topic: Scoping and Valuing Your Dwelling Loss Santa Rosa High…
2018 Advocacy & Action UPdate
2018 Advocacy & Action UPdate

Bach Talk: An energized team UP UP has been “all hands on deck” since last year’s hurricanes and wildfires.  To deliver our Roadmap to Recovery™ services to the many impacted regions, we re-energized volunteers and partnerships and made major improvements to our online help libraries. When insurers…