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…
Claims Teams Begin Handling Onslaught of Harvey Claims
Claims Teams Begin Handling Onslaught of Harvey Claims

Hurricane Harvey has set a U.S record, according to the National Weather Service, dumping 51.88 inches of rain in parts of Texas. As the tropical storm moves over southern Louisiana, claims catastrophe teams are moving in to devastated cities in Texas. AIR Worldwide reported severe…
Consider buying flood insurance
Consider buying flood insurance

Unless a bank requires you to buy it, you probably aren’t paying for flood insurance on your home. Maybe it’s because you don’t live near water. Maybe it’s because your community mapping is outdated. Maybe it’s because an insurance agent said you don’t need it. Maybe…
Basic Storm Stats – Texas Hurricane Harvey
Basic Storm Stats – Texas Hurricane Harvey

Dates of the hurricane: Incident Period: August 23-September 15, 2017 Major Disaster Declaration: August 25, 2017   Wind speed: 130mph (Category 4) at landfall in Rockport, Texas   Peak rainfall:[1] 40-61 inches 51.88 inches fell in Cedar Bayou in less than five days   Affected…
Harvey’s Catastrophic Costs Mount; Many Lack Adequate Insurance
Harvey’s Catastrophic Costs Mount; Many Lack Adequate Insurance

Hurricane Harvey’s second act across southern Texas is turning into an economic catastrophe — with damages likely to stretch into tens of billions of dollars and an unusually large share of victims lacking adequate insurance, according to early estimates. Harvey’s cost could mount to $24…
Wells Fargo Borrower Got Unneeded Insurance, and Ruined Credit
Wells Fargo Borrower Got Unneeded Insurance, and Ruined Credit

Wells Fargo has promised to make amends to the customers it forced to buy car insurance that they didn’t need. Allan Dunlap, a former Wells Fargo borrower who spent months trying to get the bank to correct an insurance error that marred his credit report,…
NJ Flood Damage Victim Can’t Hold Its Insurance Company Liable For Failing To Disclose The Risk Of Flooding And Neglecting To Recommend Flood Insurance
NJ Flood Damage Victim Can’t Hold Its Insurance Company Liable For Failing To Disclose The Risk Of Flooding And Neglecting To Recommend Flood Insurance

The New Jersey Appellate Division on Monday ruled that an insurance broker sued by a tool manufacturer whose flood policy didn’t cover all of the Superstorm Sandy damage it incurred hadn’t been required to sell the client a policy with higher limits. The three-judge panel’s…
Insurer Off Hook For Flood Claim Despite Knowing Co.’s Risk
Insurer Off Hook For Flood Claim Despite Knowing Co.’s Risk

An electricity meter vendor that suffered flood damage at a New Jersey warehouse caused by Hurricane Irene can’t hold its insurance company or the broker liable for failing to disclose the risk of flooding and neglecting to recommend flood insurance, a New Jersey appellate court…
FEMA extends deadline for Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review
FEMA extends deadline for Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended the deadline for policyholders to respond to its offers under the Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review process. Lack of responses Last month, FEMA sent out a letter notifying policyholders, many of whom had been offered money…