Bach Talk: Preserving the promise of liability protection
Bach Talk: Preserving the promise of liability protection

I had the privilege of working with Gail Hillebrand in the early 90’s when she was a Senior Attorney in Consumers Union’s West Coast regional office.  Our offices were in the same building, and I was representing Voter Revolt (the predecessor to Consumer Watchdog) in implementing Proposition 103.  Gail…
2 Wins in 2 Weeks!
2 Wins in 2 Weeks!

Every day, UP staff and volunteers fight to level the playing field for insurance consumers. UP added 35 policyholder attorneys to our Amicus Project volunteer corps over the last 12 months, bringing our total count to 275! Thanks to these heroes, we are celebrating two…
Aid may be available to repair or replace a vehicle damaged by April floods
Aid may be available to repair or replace a vehicle damaged by April floods

Texans whose vehicles were damaged or destroyed by this April’s flooding may be eligible to receive federal assistance to repair or replace the vehicle. “Those who may be eligible include not just residents of the designated counties, but also those who were working in or…
Sandy advocate calls for investigation of FEMA
Sandy advocate calls for investigation of FEMA

TOMS RIVER — Saying the Jersey Shore’s recovery has been “cut off at the knees” because of lowball flood insurance payments, a Sandy advocate has repeated the call for an investigation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sue Marticek, executive director of the Ocean County…
Spring UPward: A Roadmap to Recovery™ UPdate
Spring UPward: A Roadmap to Recovery™ UPdate

Bach Talk As we work to stay the course in two communities ravaged by wildfires and strive to raise the necessary funds to cover the costs, we are connecting with flood victims and our partners in the Lone Star State.  We are beefing up our Flood…
Portland Harbor Superfund litigation has “super” implications for policyholders
Portland Harbor Superfund litigation has “super” implications for policyholders

Today was a big day for policyholders involved in the legendary Portland Harbor (Oregon) Superfund Site: two cases in which United Policyholders submitted amicus curiae briefs were up for argument before the Ninth Circuit.  Both cases involve the duty to defend under “long-tail” CGL policies and the…
Insurance Check UP
Insurance Check UP

Yes the Internet makes it easy to insure your home or business without actually meeting the person who’s selling you the policy. But given how valuable your assets are to you, don’t you want to be confident in that person’s expertise and ethics? United Policyholders…
Caps on punitive damages are harmful to consumers
Caps on punitive damages are harmful to consumers

This week UP filed an important brief on the issue of punitive damages in the great state of Tennessee. Punitive damages, those awarded by a jury to compensate an injured plaintiff above-and-beyond the amount owed to compensate for the harm caused, are an important component…
Bach Talk – Why the CA Supreme Court needs to have Commissioner Jones’ back
Bach Talk – Why the CA Supreme Court needs to have Commissioner Jones’ back

Have you ever contacted an insurance agent or company and asked them to insure your home for a specific dollar amount?  If so, you’re probably in the .00001% of insurance consumers.  That’s just not how it works in real life. In real life, we rely…
Common Cents
Common Cents

It’s common to be nervous about the money you’re spending on your wedding and honeymoon. It’s also common now for brides or grooms to buy wedding insurance. But do wedding policies exclude more than they cover? That depends on what you buy. But for under…
Staying protected after a loss without wasting $$
Staying protected after a loss without wasting $$

New Publication – We have updated our Claim Guidance Library to include a new publication: Updating Your Insurance After a Loss. If your home and property were severely damaged or destroyed, you may be thinking about adjusting your insurance coverage to avoid wasting money insuring things that no longer…
6 Month Wildfire Survey
6 Month Wildfire Survey

At the six-month mark of the Valley and Butte Wildfires, we ask that fire survivors please take a few minutes to complete a short online survey regarding your experience regarding the insurance claims process and the status of your recovery. Your identity will be kept confidential when…
Mega Merger Malaise – Bach Talk
Mega Merger Malaise – Bach Talk

As the health insurance marketplace, American citizens, and businesses continue to adapt to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act world, the pending mergers of Aetna/Humana and Cigna/Anthem will provide yet another curveball. Mergers of companies this large are almost never good for consumers.  They…
Long story short…
Long story short…

Long story short… If you have long-term care insurance or are considering buying it, here’s a relevant UPdate: – If you’re in your 50’s or older, you may be considering a traditional or hybrid long term care insurance policy. One that covers home care and…
Bach Talk – The Power of Sunshine
Bach Talk – The Power of Sunshine

UP is constantly working to publish information and guidance on investing your insurance dollars wisely by patronizing companies that offer quality protection and have a record of good claim service.  We promote shopping tools that allow consumers to compare coverage side by side.  We promote…
Onward and UPward – Advocacy and Action Alert
Onward and UPward – Advocacy and Action Alert

This year marks UP’s 25th year and we are off to a productive start. We’ve already racked up two policyholder legal wins and weighed in on legislation that would impact insurance consumers in Arizona, Washington D.C., Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, California, and Hawaii. We’ve hosted…
Dam Ice!
Dam Ice!

With spring around the corner, home and business owners in snow-prone areas should be on the lookout for damage from ice dams. Extreme cold and unseasonably warm winter weather has caused ice dams to form on building roofs from New England to Minnesota. Trapped water…
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Claimant in ERISA Reimbursement Dispute (Guest blog)
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Claimant in ERISA Reimbursement Dispute (Guest blog)

In Montanile v. Bd. of Trs. of the Nat’l Elevator Indus. Health Ben. Plan, No. 14-723, 2016 U.S. LEXIS 843 (2016), the U.C. Supreme Court dealt a decisive victory to employees when it ruled 8-1 that an employee benefit plan may not garnish a plan participant’s general assets in…