Spooky Insurance News
Spooky Insurance News

There’s lots being said these days about the negative impact on home and business owners of reduced competition and coverage and sharply rising premiums resulting from insurers’ reactions to climate change, technology and inflation. The marketplace dynamics and political forces in play in Florida, Louisiana…
Close to Home: Insurance crisis rooted in climate change, big profits
Close to Home: Insurance crisis rooted in climate change, big profits

Press Democrat Op Ed, by: Amy Bach In the North Bay today, and many other areas considered to be at risk for wildfires, we are in the grip of a serious property insurance availability and affordability crisis. Until fairly recently, most North Bay residents didn’t…
Survivors Speak: Ten Days in Lahaina
Survivors Speak: Ten Days in Lahaina

Driving along the idyllic West Maui coast on a characteristically stunning day in early September, all looked as beautiful as ever. As I crested the hill on the south of end of Lahaina, John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ was playing on the radio. And I began to…
Mitigation Matters
Mitigation Matters

No matter where you live, if you’re a homeowner today, you need to do your best to maintain your property and take steps to avoid it being damaged or destroyed in a severe weather event. Why? 1) No place on earth is immune from risk…
As premiums rise, consumers need answers – some states are on the case
As premiums rise, consumers need answers – some states are on the case

As auto and home insurance premiums continue to rise across the United States, insurance oversight agencies are reporting a marked increase in consumer complaints and inquiries that seek to understand the reasons for increased pricing and what they can do to qualify for lower rates.…
What is Reinsurance?
What is Reinsurance?

What ( the #%!) is Reinsurance? And how does it impact homeowners insurance in California? The following was written by Joel Laucher, a former regulator and current United Policyholders’ staff member whose work is focused on wildfire risk reduction and appropriate insurance rewards for mitigation.…
How Your Insurance Rates are Set in California
How Your Insurance Rates are Set in California

The following was written by Joel Laucher, a former regulator and United Policyholders’ staff member whose work is focused on wildfire risk reduction and appropriate insurance rewards for mitigation. Prior to joining Team UP, Joel rose through the ranks at the California Department of Insurance…
What a night! Thank you to everyone who helped us get UP to Good!
What a night! Thank you to everyone who helped us get UP to Good!

On Friday, September 8th, 2023, wildfire survivors, public officials and generous businesses and individuals gathered outdoors at the elegant and historic Buena Vista Winery to raise funds for the our Roadmap to Recovery, Preparedness and Advocacy programs. Funds raised in connection with this event will…
Maui Wildfire Survivors Accessing “Been There” Roadmap to Recovery® Expertise
Maui Wildfire Survivors Accessing “Been There” Roadmap to Recovery® Expertise

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The national non-profit United Policyholders (UP), which has earned high marks over three decades for easing and improving wildfire recovery for impacted households in California, Colorado, Washington, Arizona and Oregon,announced today that it is delivering help to Maui residents through multiple…
First Steps After a Wildfire
First Steps After a Wildfire

The devastation on Maui is heartbreaking, and for those who’ve lost loved ones, homes and businesses, it’s overwhelming and painful beyond words. United Policyholders (UP) staff and volunteers will be supporting recovery in the Lahaina region now and in the months and years ahead. As…
Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards Grant for services to 2022 Florida hurricane-impacted households
Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards Grant for services to 2022 Florida hurricane-impacted households

Roadmap to Recovery™ services to be provided in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties CONTACT: Amy Bach, Executive Director, media@uphelp.org For Immediate Release: July 31, 2023 SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The national insurance consumer advocacy non-profit United Policyholders (UP), announced today that the Community Foundation…
Rolling with the policy punches
Rolling with the policy punches

UPdated shopping tips Our guidance on shopping for property insurance has been focused on helping consumers select from competing options and avoid underinsuring their assets. For reasons we explained in last month’s tip, a growing number of people across the United States are now scrambling…
Press Release: Rural Representatives and Consumer Group partner to address California’s regional home insurance crisis
Press Release: Rural Representatives and Consumer Group partner to address California’s regional home insurance crisis

        Rural Representatives and Consumer Group partner to address California’s regional home insurance crisis For Immediate Release: July 26th, 2023 Contact: Amy Bach, Executive Director, media@uphelp.org SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2023 – To assist the thousands of California residents in rural and…
California Home Insurance FAQs
California Home Insurance FAQs

The home insurance situation remains very challenging in California, there’s no sugar-coating it. The one bright spot in the recent announcements by three leading insurers that they will no longer sell new policies is that none of them are leaving the state or wide-scale dropping…
Wildfire Season is Here – Get Prepared!
Wildfire Season is Here – Get Prepared!

Summertime and the living is easy…except that wildfire season’s starting and the leading insurer just announced they’re not selling new policies in California. UP has been busier than ever getting useful tips out to residents of wildfire-vulnerable regions on reducing risk, being prepared and keeping…
What’s the RX for home insurance headaches?
What’s the RX for home insurance headaches?

Rising home insurance prices and shrinking availability have made headlines across the nation in recent weeks, but the situation is not news to UP. It has been developing regionally for years, and we’ve been contributing to solutions through multiple advocacy and consumer help workstreams. The…
Advocacy Wins in Colorado! (2023)
Advocacy Wins in Colorado! (2023)

By Lisa Hughes, Marshall Fire Survivor and UP Local Liaison Team UP Colorado worked closely with Insurance Commissioner Mike Conway and Rep. Judy Amabile to enact new consumer protections this legislative session, and we were very pleased to join Governor Polis when he signed HB-23-1174…
BACH TALK: Consumers need help (with shrinking property insurance affordability and availability)
BACH TALK: Consumers need help (with shrinking property insurance affordability and availability)

Americans today in hurricane, flood and wildfire prone regions (particularly in areas where there have been recent disasters) are paying much higher premiums and having a very hard time finding affordable property insurance options.  This is a national phenomenon that United Policyholders has been helping…