Annuities are good retirement tools, but exercise caution
Annuities are good retirement tools, but exercise caution

For Release: April 8, 2014Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566Annuities are good retirement tools, but exercise caution SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In observance of National Retirement Planning week, the California Department of Insurance is reminding consumers about the importance of understanding what they are purchasing before signing on…
Bank of America Settles Forced-Place Insurance Claims for $228M
Bank of America Settles Forced-Place Insurance Claims for $228M

Bank of America Corp. agreed to pay $228 million to settle claims the bank overcharged for insurance homeowners were forced to accept when their regular policies lapsed.The amount was disclosed in a document requesting approval for the accord filed yesterday in Miami federal court. Lawyers…
5.1 Southern California earthquake reminds Californians to be prepared for the Big One
5.1 Southern California earthquake reminds Californians to be prepared for the Big One

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2014 Notice to Consumers5.1 Southern California earthquake reminds Californians to be prepared for the Big OneEarthquake insurance can help residents repair, rebuild, or replaceLOS ANGELES, Calif. – The 5.1 La Habra earthquake was significantly more powerful than the 4.4 magnitude…
Taxing tasks
Taxing tasks

April 15th is right around the corner, and while filing for an extension is certainly an option, disaster survivors get no automatic exception to the tax filing deadline. The IRS did just announce, however, that Colorado flood victims have until October to decide which tax year…
Resources: “Last Chance” Webinar Before April Sandy Deadline
Resources: “Last Chance” Webinar Before April Sandy Deadline

Thank you for attending the “Last Chance” Webinar Before April Sandy Deadline.  Here you will find the resources referenced in the webinar: Sandy NFIP Claim Help “Last Chance” Webinar: 3/26/14 at 12:30pm EST Presenters: Amy Bach, Executive Director, United Policyholders David Charles, Master Claims Consulting View the…
Storm Sandy Mediation Program: A Learning Experience
Storm Sandy Mediation Program: A Learning Experience

By: Dan Wade, Staff Attorney The government-sponsored Storm Sandy mediation programs in New York and New Jersey offered the promise of a low-cost easy access forum for disaster survivors to sit down face-to-face with their insurer to resolve claim disputes. A modest number of homeowners…
New York Federal Court Consolidates Pending Hurricane Sandy Cases
New York Federal Court Consolidates Pending Hurricane Sandy Cases

UPdate 7/18/14 At the request of insurers, three New York Magistrate Judges overseeing the Consolidated Case have asked plaintiffs to withdraw supplemental state law “bad faith” claims. The three-judge panel explained that plaintiffs have failed to address these claims in accordance with the Court’s discovery…
Farmers Insurance Ordered to Pay Woodward Tornado Victims $15M
Farmers Insurance Ordered to Pay Woodward Tornado Victims $15M

Shelly Hobbie walks through the rubble left of her son’s mobile home in Woodward, Okla. on April 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)An Oklahoma judge has ordered Farmers Insurance and a subsidiary to pay a total of $15 million to three plaintiffs who filed property claims…
Guidance for businesses on buying Cyber Liability insurance
Guidance for businesses on buying Cyber Liability insurance

ISO’s 2014 Data Breach Exclusion EndorsementsPerhaps a large majority of all businesses are subject to data breach liability whereby someone steals or makes unauthorized use of personal or confidential information, often of customers. Such data breaches have resulted in lawsuits and government sanctions. While most…
Getting UP to business: Read ’em and leak
Getting UP to business: Read ’em and leak

UP helps home and business owners and the two sectors have a lot in common when it comes to insurance. Both pay quite a bit of money for the insurance protection they count on as a financial safety net. And though some businesses are experienced in nuances of policy…
Cyber Liability and Insurance
Cyber Liability and Insurance
Work from home? TCB
Work from home? TCB

Thanks to the Internet, FedEx, Priority Mail and UPS – more and more people are avoiding the drag of commuting by working from home. If you’re one of the estimated 43 million Americans in this mode – you’ll want the right insurance in place. You…
What’s UP? January 2014
What’s UP? January 2014

We have dived in to another year of working hard and being useful throughout the nation.  We’ve got six disaster recovery and two preparedness workshops coming up in February, amicus briefs, reports and new buyers’ guides in production.  Our newWhat’s UP with Renter’s Insurance is now available in…
Don’t Bark UP the Wrong Tree – Pet Insurance Tips
Don’t Bark UP the Wrong Tree – Pet Insurance Tips

If you are among the 70 + million households in the US that own a dog or cat, you may not have considered pet insurance. But one emergency visit to your vet can make you rethink that decision. There are lots of pet insurance plans…
New York Regulator Lawsky asks colleagues to take action against forced-place insurance overcharges
New York Regulator Lawsky asks colleagues to take action against forced-place insurance overcharges
Too Good to be True?
Too Good to be True?

Enjoy this week’s holiday, and: THANKS FOR GIVING… your time, your expertise and your dollars to keep UP strong. So far this year we’ve sent you monthly money-saving tips and the straight scoop on flood and car rental insurance, employer-provided disability policies, home air quality…
Bringing logic and fairness back to California injury victims
Bringing logic and fairness back to California injury victims

Bach Talk:  Let’s not forget that it used to be true in California that if you were injured by someone, you could make a claim directly with that someone’s insurance company.  If their insurance company behaved badly, you could hold them accountable in court.  You…
Deadline for filing flood insurance claims from Sept. 2013 CO disaster extended 21 days
Deadline for filing flood insurance claims from Sept. 2013 CO disaster extended 21 days

UP encouraged Colorado public officials and residents to ask FEMA to extend the 60 day deadline for flood victims to file insurance claims. Many people still don’t have access to their homes – so it’s impossible for them to get a complete evaluation/scope of loss…