Hope and heartache in the year of fire
Hope and heartache in the year of fire

Cobb Mountain – Maya Leonard sighed deeply as she stood between her parents on a sun-dappled morning in late spring, her freckled face somber. Her mother, Cindy, and father, David, each draped an arm around her shoulders. Maya watched as one of six men in…
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop – Clayton Fire (Clearlake, CA)
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop – Clayton Fire (Clearlake, CA)

United Policyholders is hosting its first Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Clayton Fire survivors in partnership with UMCOR and Team Lake County on September 6, 2016. The workshop will start at 6PM and will be at the Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave, Clearlake, CA 95422. Karen Reimus will cover insurance recovery orientation…
Six Years After Fourmile Canyon Fire, Cold Springs Fire Brings Up Insurance Claims
Six Years After Fourmile Canyon Fire, Cold Springs Fire Brings Up Insurance Claims

Recovery continues for folks impacted by the Cold Springs fire last month, which destroyed eight properties and led to evacuations of nearly 2000 others in the Nederland area. With the six year anniversary of the Fourmile Canyon fire on the horizon in September, experts from…
Document Flood and Fire Damage to Ease Insurance Claims
Document Flood and Fire Damage to Ease Insurance Claims

Victims of the recent flooding in Louisiana and wildfires in California should all do one thing: Document the damage to their property. Taking photos is crucial to help bolster an insurance claim, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit consumer advisory group,…
This is how a California wildfire can change your homeowners insurance rate
This is how a California wildfire can change your homeowners insurance rate

Some Southern California residents have seen their insurance rates skyrocket as a result of wildfires. The latest round of fires is fueling concerns that rates may eventually be boosted again. Scores of Southern California residents living in or near the path of the latest wildfires…
Roadmap to Recovery’ workshop for Valley fire survivors planned for Aug. 2
Roadmap to Recovery’ workshop for Valley fire survivors planned for Aug. 2

COBB, Calif. – The “Roadmap to Recovery” workshop to discuss “healing and dealing” at the one-year anniversary of the Valley fire will be presented Tuesday, Aug. 2. The workshop will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Little Red Schoolhouse, located at 15780…
Homeowners responsible for proper insurance
Homeowners responsible for proper insurance

It’s been nearly four years since an unknown source sparked one of the costliest wildfires in Colorado history. Waldo Canyon fire insurance claims totaled more than $350 million — almost $1 million for every home lost. That fire’s infelicitous record would stand less than a…
Valley Fire Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 12/3/15
Valley Fire Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 12/3/15

UP is hosting a Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Valley Fire survivors Thursday, December 3rd at 6pm at Middletown High School. This workshop will cover how to effectively communicate with your insurance company, underinsurance, and your insurance legal rights in California.  There will be a Q&A…
Valley Fire Workshop: October 8th at 6pm
Valley Fire Workshop: October 8th at 6pm

UP is hosting a Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Valley Fire survivors this Thursday at 6pm at Middletown High School. This workshop is an insurance recovery orientation and will provide information on navigating the insurance claim process. There will be a Q&A session after the workshop if you have…
A pictorial journey of recovery
A pictorial journey of recovery

Follow UP Outreach Coordinator Karen Reimus’ pictorial journey of recovery from the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego, California.
Insurance nightmare continues for Mountain Shadows family
Insurance nightmare continues for Mountain Shadows family

Three years after the Waldo Canyon Fire, many homeowners still struggle with their insurance claims. Paul and Jennifer Macomber have been at odds with their insurance company, American Family Insurance, since the fire started in June 2012. Their home in Mountain Shadows wasn’t a total…
Thursday marks anniversary and deadline for Black Forest Fire victims
Thursday marks anniversary and deadline for Black Forest Fire victims

Thursday marks two years since the state’s most destructive wildfire, but it also marks a deadline for insurance policies related to the Black Forest Fire. According to United Policyholders, key deadlines include the expiration of additional living expenses/loss of use benefits, a firm deadline for…
Waldo Canyon, Black Forest fire victims see dissimilar outcomes
Waldo Canyon, Black Forest fire victims see dissimilar outcomes

It was the worst of fires – and then came another one even worse. It was a fire in a subdivision and then it was one in a wooded, rural community. It was a fire of quick rebuilding and then it was one where the…
Property owners face important deadlines on second anniversary of wildfire
Property owners face important deadlines on second anniversary of wildfire

El Paso County, CO, April 29, 2015 – With the two year anniversary of the Black Forest Fire approaching El Paso County reminds property owners to keep in mind important insurance deadlines. “Residents impacted by the Black Forest Fire need to meet certain deadlines in…
Colorado disasters lead to home insurance spikes, cancellations
Colorado disasters lead to home insurance spikes, cancellations

Colorado is now one of the worst places in the United States for natural disasters. That’s if your measure is insurance claims filed by homeowners. The state is now second only to tornado-struck Oklahoma for catastrophic claims, according to new data from the Insurance Research…
Living in wildfire country? Make sure you clear a defensible space and update your insurance
Living in wildfire country? Make sure you clear a defensible space and update your insurance

There’s nothing like a mountain cabin for a great vacation getaway, a retirement home or simply a quiet and beautiful place to live. But the relaxed pace of living and the fresh scent of pine trees come with a risk — the threat of wildfires…
Wildfire Season Starts Early Amid Drought; Costs to Top $1 Billion
Wildfire Season Starts Early Amid Drought; Costs to Top $1 Billion

May 13, 2014By: Jennifer Oldham, Bloomberg NewsU.S. states plagued by historic drought are bracing for an early wildfire season with a cost that may rise as high as $1.8 billion, or almost $500,000 more than what’s available to control the blazes.Oklahomans fought seven fires in…
United Policyholders has been with us through three disasters: Lean on me
United Policyholders has been with us through three disasters: Lean on me

Leigh Candelas was one of the lucky ones. When the Black Forest Fire consumed much of her neighborhood last summer, her house survived. But the situation wasn’t as rosy as it appeared. There was significant damage to her home, and after her insurance company paid…