Tips for making insurance claims after Sandy
Tips for making insurance claims after Sandy

One inevitable consequence of the megastorm named Sandy will linger for a long while after the devastation is cleaned up and the victims buried: a large number of insurance claims from people hoping to rebuild their homes and their lives. Sandy’s historic size and scope…
Superstorm spotlights home insurance
Superstorm spotlights home insurance

People whose homes were damaged by superstorm Sandy will soon find out whether or not they have enough and the right kind of insurance to rebuild. In other recent disasters, one-half to two-thirds of homeowners discovered after the fact that they were underinsured, often by…
A 12-step plan for your Sandy insurance claim
A 12-step plan for your Sandy insurance claim

Some consumers will be shocked to learn that superstorm Sandy devastated not only cities, coastal areas and transit systems — but their pocketbooks, too. “A lot of people are going to have a rude wake-up call after this storm and realize that flood damage isn’t…
Insure Your Home Against Natural Disasters
Insure Your Home Against Natural Disasters

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, hundreds of thousands of homeowners will be filing claims for compensation for their losses. They could be facing a second disaster if their homes weren’t properly insured for wind and flood damage. Approximately two-thirds of homeowners are underinsured for…
Governor Cuomo Announces Homeowners Will Not Have To Pay Hurricane Deductibles
Governor Cuomo Announces Homeowners Will Not Have To Pay Hurricane Deductibles

Department of Financial Services Working Closely with Insurers to Speed Response to Homeowners Who Experienced Losses New Yorkers Can Call DFS Disaster Hotline for Help Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York homeowners will not have to pay potentially large hurricane deductibles on…
Storms push insurance rates sky-high
Storms push insurance rates sky-high

Insurers say they’re tired of rolling the dice with Mother Nature and losing, but critics say rate increases have gone too far. Homeowners insurance premiums are soaring in Minnesota, and consumers can expect more rate shocks ahead as insurance companies wager that a run of…
Rebuilding—if you don’t know, ask
Rebuilding—if you don’t know, ask

In 2011, a consumer advocacy group, United Policyholders, reported that at least 75 percent of the homeowners affected by the 2007 wildfires in San Bernardino and Riverside counties were underinsured by nearly a quarter of a million dollars. This amazing reality came after the catastrophic…
When it comes to home insurance, read the fine print
When it comes to home insurance, read the fine print

Andi O’Conor has twice lost a home to fire: The first time she was 12, the second time was two years ago. It was Labor Day. She was kayaking hundreds of miles away, when a friend told her about a wildfire near O’Conor’s home on…
Insured see climbing rates, as coverage declines
Insured see climbing rates, as coverage declines

Hurricanes, wildfires, hail storms: all the wild weather the past few years is taking a toll on homeowners’ insurance rates. Many premiums are up 10 percent or more this year. And you may be getting less for your money. Merle Scheiber filed his first-ever hail…
Can mortgage lenders hold your insurance money hostage?
Can mortgage lenders hold your insurance money hostage?

If your home has been seriously damaged or destroyed, your insurance company will release a check made out to both you and your mortgage lender to pay for the necessary repairs. “Lenders have a substantial investment in the property, sometimes more than the homeowner, especially…
Consumer Reports Rates Home Insurers
Consumer Reports Rates Home Insurers

Homeowners buy insurance to protect against disaster. But when disaster strikes, your insurer might not live up to your expectations, especially if you have a large claim, according to our survey of 11,250 subscribers who filed claims in the past few years. The greater the…
Let go (please) lender…
Let go (please) lender…

If you have a mortgage, the lender is almost always listed on your home insurance as an additional insured. So if your home is significantly damaged ($5,000 or more) and your insurer sends a check for the repairs, that check will usually be made out…
Enough’ Insurance is Often Not Enough
Enough’ Insurance is Often Not Enough

In the past few weeks, the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history claimed two lives, burned nearly 30 square miles and totally destroyed more than 350 homes. Like almost all homeowners everywhere in the United States, nearly everyone who lost their house to this massive…
Larimer County Holds Free Workshop for Fire Survivors on Insurance, Rebuilding & Recovery
Larimer County Holds Free Workshop for Fire Survivors on Insurance, Rebuilding & Recovery

Larimer County will hold a public update meeting for High Park and Woodland Heights Fire survivors on Thursday, August 2 beginning at 6:30p.m. in the Hearing Room, 1st floor, Larimer County Courthouse Offices Building, 200 West Oak Street, Fort Collins for information on how to…
Family: State Farm Forced Us Into Tent, Onto Food Stamps
Family: State Farm Forced Us Into Tent, Onto Food Stamps

Members of a Boulder County family whose home was damaged by smoke during the Four Mile fire say they’re now living in a tent because their insurance company stopped paying for repairs and stopped paying their temporary rent. Linda Tarr and her husband David Doherty…
Insurance Rates: Will Mother Nature Raise Yours?
Insurance Rates: Will Mother Nature Raise Yours?

The wildfires raging out West and the freakish storms that ravaged much of the east have property insurers scrambling to keep up with all the claims. The current blitz of wildfires in Colorado is already the most destructive in the state’s history, and the blazes…
More public meetings for fire survivors
More public meetings for fire survivors

The recovery process for survivors of the High Park Fire, their homes and land continues. Several workshops are planned to assist in the process. A Colorado State Forest Workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Cache La Poudre Middle School, 3515…
Check Up on Your Home Insurance
Check Up on Your Home Insurance

The national average premium for homeowners insurance will increase by 5% in 2012, according to forecasts by the Insurance Information Institute. That follows an increase of nearly 4% in 2011, and it will bring the average annual premium to an all-time high of $1,000. At…