June 2, 2013 Too Darn Hot In most areas of the U.S. right now, it’s just too darn hot. If you’re in the scary position of having to evacuate due to a nearby wildfire, but lucky enough to come home to a house still standing, consider this: Nearby flames, smoke and…
May 31, 2013 Unsettling It turns out the meaning of “settled” in the context of an insurance claim depends on who’s using it. 6 months after Superstorm Sandy, the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), a national industry-funded group, claimed that 93 percent of the 1.5 million claims were “settled.” UP…
May 23, 2013 Allstate to get big test in Oklahoma In tornado-ravaged Oklahoma, Allstate Corp. is about to get a first true test of how consumers respond to its new, less generous approach to insuring homes. About 18 months ago, Oklahoma became the first state in the country to get Allstate’s new House and Home…
May 7, 2013 Time to Dust Off Those Old Insurance Policies With springtime comes spring cleaning. We may take the time to deep clean the house and clear out the garage, however, most of us don’t take the time to perform the same spring cleaning for our financial affairs. When was the last time you reviewed…
May 1, 2013 What’s UP? May 2013 Bach Talk We were excited to begin this newsletter with three major announcements: A recent legislative victory for policyholders in Colorado and two significant grants: One supporting Roadmap to Recovery services to Sandy victims in New Jersey, and another from FEMA to help the Bay…
April 22, 2013 Flood insurance lawsuit aimed at ‘basement’ definition A federal lawsuit accusing insurance companies of unfairly denying flood claims could have broad ramifications for Long Islanders who were denied coverage because their first floors were classified as basements. The class-action suit, filed in Newark, says insurers are wrongly refusing to pay for flood-damaged…
April 17, 2013 Does Minnesota Have a Match Law? We are constantly asked by our homeowner’s insurance paid renovation contractors whether Minnesota has a “match law” that requires an insurer to pay for a complete re-roof or re-siding of a customer’s improvement when a replacement match cannot be found. The short answer to the…
April 17, 2013 Sandy-struck homeowners face delay in cashing insurance checks Homeowners across Long Island are struggling with the cost of rebuilding from superstorm Sandy as they wait for banks and mortgage companies to release their insurance settlements more than two months after the storm. Insurers began cutting checks weeks ago, but most people can’t simply…
April 1, 2013 Healthy Choices The Health Insurance Marketplace that will kick in soon will give you new options. They will depend on what your current coverage, employment status and medical needs are, and whether your state is participating in the federal law that set up the new marketplace. Here’s…
March 29, 2013 Bucks for the bang It is much easier to save money on your car insurance than your home insurance. Insurers compete hard for auto customers. That’s because it’s easier for them to make a profit and the risks are much more predictable. So if you have a decent driving…
March 25, 2013 Progress on N.J. Sandy insurance claims concealed Thursday, March 21, 2013 BY RICHARD NEWMANSTAFF WRITERThe Record Since superstorm Sandy struck the Northeast last October, New York residents have been able to track the performance of insurance companies in response to the disaster by logging on to a state government website.Connecticut’s insurance regulator…
March 25, 2013 High Park Fire Insurance Payouts a Slap in the Face Wildfire victims say insufficient policies and unrealistic deadlines are impeding rebuilding efforts.Homeowner insurance protection: What would it do?• Expand the time allowed to submit an inventory of destroyed property to an insurer.• Require insurers to award claims for a percentage of destroyed property without submissoin…
February 28, 2013 Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims: An exercise in exasperation, homeowners say Meg Kelly uses three images when summing up her experience with Hurricane Sandy.First, the freight train: the thundering wind gusts that barreled through her Neptune neighborhood the night of Oct. 29.Then, the tsunami: the punishing surge that sprang from the surrounding bay and deluged the…
February 27, 2013 New York Regulator Says Sandy Complaints Show Need for Uniformity, Clarity in Policies BY MARK E. RUQUET, PROPERTYCASUALTY360February 27, 2013 New York’s top insurance regulator says Superstorm Sandy has revealed glaring gaps in consumer knowledge about coverages, and has highlighted the need for uniformity and clarity in property-insurance policies.Addressing members of the State Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance…
February 26, 2013 Tap in… People who’ve negotiated their way through an insurance claim can be an excellent source of success strategies. Many members of UP’s staff and volunteer corps fit that bill. If you find yourself underinsured after a loss or need help getting your lender to release an…
February 25, 2013 Watchdog: Sandy insurance complaints growing TRENTON — Sandy has created a superstorm of insurance complaints.Consumers are hounding state insurance regulators to combat slow action by insurers or for help on other claim matters.The state Department of Banking and Insurance has fielded 481 Sandy-related inquiries and complaints. Seventeen cases are formal…
February 21, 2013 Mississippi State Senate Fails Homeowners Again Citizen activist Kevin Buckel continues to work tirelessly to reform the laws in his state to better protect consumers against unfair insurance practices. Despite many setbacks, Kevin has scored important victories: Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney now supports legislation to keep the burden of proof on…
February 15, 2013 Thinking of hiring a law firm to fight your insurance company? Know what you’re getting into… Todd Kaminsky, the author of this useful article, is a concerned citizen who is using his expertise as a lawyer to help his Long Island neighbors recover from Sandy’s devastation. Todd is a United Policyholders volunteer and we are one of the experts he references…
