Debris Removal Decisions for 2017 North Bay Wildfire Survivors
Debris Removal Decisions for 2017 North Bay Wildfire Survivors

Clearing wildfire debris is the responsibility of each individual property owner.  Help is available to get the work done safely, completely, and legally.  For your and your neighbor’s protection, wildfire debris must be removed from your property and disposed of properly. Items such as retaining…
Roadmap to Recovery Report
Roadmap to Recovery Report

The scale of the devastation from the recent Northern California wildfires is just as mind-boggling as the number of homes, businesses, and lives that were impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria just a few months ago. All we can do is all we can…
Private Client Wildfire Protection
Private Client Wildfire Protection

Recent media coverage has spotlighted the handful of insurance companies that offer “private fire protection” to clients who can afford the cost.  AIG was the first on the block and several others have followed suit.  The recent North Bay wildfires will generate new data on how effective this special protection…
Politics and Policyholders
Politics and Policyholders

United Policyholders is a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, which means we can’t endorse or oppose candidates for public office.  But without a doubt – the outcomes of elections impact our work in many ways:  Partisan elected officials choose the judges that preside over insurance matters.…
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop – Santa Rosa: 11/1/17
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop – Santa Rosa: 11/1/17

Workshop Topic: Navigating the “Dwelling” portion of your claim United Policyholders is hosting its second Roadmap to Recovery workshop in Santa Rosa for North Bay wildfire survivors in partnership with Jewish Family and Children’s Services.  The workshop will start at 6PM and will be right down the street…
Holes in your safety net?
Holes in your safety net?

UP has been in the news lately working hard to help Americans focus on the dry but important topic of properly insuring assets. Victims of devastating hurricanes and wildfires in Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and California are getting a second shock of having to scramble…
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop – Santa Rosa: 10/25/17
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop – Santa Rosa: 10/25/17

Free Recovery and Insurance Orientation Workshop  United Policyholders is hosting its first Roadmap to Recovery workshop in Santa Rosa for North Bay wildfire survivors in partnership with Jewish Family and Children’s Services.  The workshop will start at 6PM and will be right down the street from the Local…
Guest Blog: What is the scope of the “professional services” exclusion in D&O liability policies issued to private companies?
Guest Blog: What is the scope of the “professional services” exclusion in D&O liability policies issued to private companies?

The Hotchalk case highlights a coverage defense that some D&O insurers have aggressively asserted and courts across the country have struggled to address. What is the scope of the “professional services” exclusion in D&O liability policies issued to private companies? Such policies issued to private…
UP Petitions for CA Wildfire Insurance Investigation
UP Petitions for CA Wildfire Insurance Investigation

  United Policyholders launched a Wildfire Mitigation and Insurance Project in California in 2016 to help households in brush areas maintain insurance protection on their homes, and participate in related public policy discussions with public officials, insurance companies and other stakeholders.  In addition to publishing tips for consumers, UP is…
“Total Control” Tip of the Month, October, 2017
“Total Control” Tip of the Month, October, 2017

An insurance company’s decision whether to classify your severely damaged car as fixable or a total loss has big dollar significance to you, the policyholder. You can influence that decision with proof of the vehicle’s pre and post loss value. Depending on the extent of…
Keeping the Faith in Pennsylvania
Keeping the Faith in Pennsylvania

In a landmark decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently affirmed in Rancosky v. Washington National Ins. Co. that a policyholder victimized by unreasonable conduct by an insurance company does not need to also show the conduct was malicious or intentional.  The holding, which upheld the arguments…
Survivors Speak: The bottom line on recovering from a disaster
Survivors Speak: The bottom line on recovering from a disaster

Part of the “Survivors Speak” Tip Series If you have insurance – home, flood, and/or auto – and you have had damage, then before you clean or clear or change anything, consider first 1) photographing/videotaping things as you found them, and 2) sending an email to…
Florida’s Insured Losses From Irma Reach Nearly $2B and Growing
Florida’s Insured Losses From Irma Reach Nearly $2B and Growing

Florida policyholders so far have filed nearly $2 billion in claims to insurers for damage from Hurricane Irma, the state’s insurance regulator said on Monday. The estimate of insured losses is based on preliminary statewide data that insurers filed with the Florida Office of Insurance…
Collecting insurance benefits for a hurricane-damaged car
Collecting insurance benefits for a hurricane-damaged car

Hurricane Harvey (2017) damaged as many as 500,000 vehicles in the Houston area alone, according to preliminary estimates.  This number is much higher than Superstorm Sandy (2013) or Hurricane Katrina (2005). Hurricane Irma (2017) damaged an additional 1 million vehicles across the southeast, including Florida where it hit hardest. If…
7 Habits of Highly Effective Roadmap to Recovery Volunteers*
7 Habits of Highly Effective Roadmap to Recovery Volunteers*

Thank you Board member Jennifer Rosdail for distributing Roadmap to Recovery Guides to Hurricane Harvey Victims in Texas and being a highly effective UP volunteer.  Jennifer is pictured here doing relief work in the Lone Star State this week with a KW Cares team member and son…
UP request granted: NFIP waives strict rules for Harvey claims
UP request granted: NFIP waives strict rules for Harvey claims

  The National Flood Insurance Program has shown strong leadership by granting UP’s request to make it easier for households and businesses impacted by Harvey to get their insurance claims filed and paid fairly and on time.  The program operates under rules set by Congress. The…
Loaded for Bare: Policyholders Beware…
Loaded for Bare: Policyholders Beware…

By Amy Bach, as originally posted on Fortune.com Once again, a storm has devastated a region and broken records. Hurricane Harvey dropped so much rain on Texas, the National Weather Service had to add new colors to its map graphics. Where will the money come…
Clarifying the effect of Texas House Bill 1774 on Harvey insurance claims
Clarifying the effect of Texas House Bill 1774 on Harvey insurance claims

There has been some confusion about the effect of a new Texas law that limits the future legal rights of people and businesses that will be filing insurance claims for damage from Hurricane Harvey. The new law comes into play in situations where an insurance…