5 problems that could be hiding in your home insurance policy
5 problems that could be hiding in your home insurance policy

It’s important to read the fine print of any contract, but consumers who buyhomeowner’s insurance especially should be vigilant. According to consumer-protection groups United Policyholders and the Consumer Federation of America, homeowner’s policies are becoming more difficult to understand. This is partly because carriers are…
Flood insurance lawsuit aimed at ‘basement’ definition
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…
Does Minnesota Have a Match Law?
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…
Sandy-struck homeowners face delay in cashing insurance checks
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…
Covered by homeowners insurance? Don’t be so sure
Covered by homeowners insurance? Don’t be so sure

Bought or renewed a homeowners insurance policy lately? You’ve no doubt noticed that premiums have gotten pretty pricey. Rates have climbed 69% over the past decade to an average of $1,000 a year. What you may not realize is that you could be facing another…
Courts toss homeowners’ insurance regulation
Courts toss homeowners’ insurance regulation

A judge has thrown out a state regulation that insurers said allows the insurance commissioner to decide on his own what constitutes an unfair business practice — a designation that can carry severe penalties for companies and their agents. Insurers said the court’s decision was…
Poor credit history can harm your ability to buy home and car insurance
Poor credit history can harm your ability to buy home and car insurance

he cancellation of homeowner’s insurance policies in Florida based on consumers’ credit histories is drawing close scrutiny from state insurance officials. In a recent letter to Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, the state’s insurance consumer advocate, Robin Smith Westcott, criticized insurers for using legal claims and…
Lessons for Staten Islanders navigating the insurance maze
Lessons for Staten Islanders navigating the insurance maze

As they stare down drawn-out battles over insurance settlements and uncertain coverage for the future, Staten Islanders might look to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — a storm that cost insurance companies a record $41 billion — to hazard a guess at what’s to come.…
Bill to let Sandy victims sue insurers over claims handling sparks debate
Bill to let Sandy victims sue insurers over claims handling sparks debate

A piece of legislation that would give Hurricane Sandy victims more power to sue their insurer if they feel their claim was handled badly was tabled last week as lobbyists in Trenton battled over whether such a right would make for good public policy. The…
ConsumerWatch: Allstate Denies SF Homeowners’ Claims In Water Main Break
ConsumerWatch: Allstate Denies SF Homeowners’ Claims In Water Main Break

Watch the video A sinkhole caused by a broken water main in San Francisco’s West Portal neighborhood has put some homes in danger, and the response from one insurance company left some of the affected homeowners feeling left in the cold. Allstate Insurance has denied…
Tips for Sandy Victims on Mediating Insurance Disputes
Tips for Sandy Victims on Mediating Insurance Disputes

New Programs Announced in New York & New Jersey to Help Resolve Claim Disputes; Know What to Expect and Be Ready to Negotiate, Consumer Group Advises SAN FRANCISCO February 28, 2013 – With thousands of Superstorm Sandy victims frustrated by the slow process of settling…
Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims: An exercise in exasperation, homeowners say
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…
New York Regulator Says Sandy Complaints Show Need for Uniformity, Clarity in Policies
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…
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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…
Mississippi State Senate Fails Homeowners Again
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…
Thinking of hiring a law firm to fight your insurance company? Know what you’re getting into…
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…
Four costly homeowners insurance mistakes to avoid
Four costly homeowners insurance mistakes to avoid

This piece was written by Caroline Mayer, a consumer reporter who spent 25 years working for The Washington Post: With record-setting snows pounding the Northeast and tornadoes rocking the South, major weather events are sweeping the country. These storms and subsequent ones are likely to…
AFTER SANDY: CAN’T GET THE CASH;
AFTER SANDY: CAN’T GET THE CASH;

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…