May 31, 2026 Battle over smoke-damaged homes from LA County wildfires could reshape fire insurance The outcome could have ramifications nationwide and either open the door to billions in additional claims or slam the door shut for homeowners. Read more.
May 30, 2026 The Home-Insurance Coin Flip: Nearly Half of Claims Result in Zero Payout When disaster strikes, many Americans face a near flip-of-the-coin chance that their home insurer will pay a claim. And the problem is getting worse. The five biggest home-insurers as a group didn’t pay out on more than 44% of claims resolved last year, forcing homeowners…
May 27, 2026 42% of homeowners say insurance costs have gone up ‘a lot,’ survey finds. Here’s why Homeowners insurance costs have been rising fast in the U.S. — and policyholders are taking notice. About 71% of homeowners said the cost of their homeowners insurance has increased over the past few years, with 42% saying costs have gone up “a lot,” according to…
May 27, 2026 U.S. homeowners insurance costs keep rising as climate and inflation pressures build Homeowners across the U.S. are facing steeper insurance bills as premiums rise faster than many household budgets can absorb. The increases are widening cost pressures in housing and could affect property values and financial stability as coverage becomes more expensive and, in some areas, harder…
May 22, 2026 Firewise leaders push for regional emergency preparedness More than 150 wildfire preparedness leaders, residents and fire safety professionals from across Southern California gathered in Calabasas May 9 for a regional Firewise Leader workshop focused on helping neighborhoods better prepare for increasingly severe wildfire seasons. The gathering at the Calabasas Community Center invited…
May 22, 2026 California FAIR Plan set to increase rates for most policyholders California’s home insurance plan of last resort is set to increase rates for policyholders later this year. California FAIR Plan announced an average 30% rate increase for policyholders, according to multiple reports. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that rates, which are set to change after…
May 21, 2026 Oklahoma “Joan of Arc” Waged Prescient State Farm Battle As anxious policyholders await a pivotal Oklahoma Supreme Court decision in a bad-faith case involving the now-infamous State Farm documents, additional revealing documents, compiled decades ago by a State Farm whistleblower with Oklahoma roots, have surfaced at the Oklahoma City office of attorney Charles Weddle.…
May 18, 2026 For the 11th straight year, Texas is the hail damage capital of the US DALLAS — Sometimes, winning can feel a lot like losing. For the 11th year in a row, Texas is the hail capital of the U.S. It wasn’t even close. According to the Insurance Information Institute, there were 902 hail events here with major damage in…
May 17, 2026 State launches ‘Disaster Recovery Tool,’ more Health Headlines A new tool was launched this month to assist Coloradans facing natural disasters: the Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool. The resource was established under the Governor’s Office of Climate Preparedness and Disaster Recovery, which, a press release from the office said, is one of its…
May 16, 2026 This S.F. homeowner lost insurance because of a flat roof. Could it happen to you? California’s largest insurers cover certain types of roofs and avoid others. Wood-shake roofs and old roofs are also common concerns. Read more
May 16, 2026 Insurance commissioner candidates float bigger California role A few of the candidates vying to be California’s next insurance commissioner want to address the insurance crisis by having the state take a bigger financial role. Some of the problems they’re trying to solve include: Not all insurance companies will write new policies in…
May 14, 2026 Hurricane season insurance tips: What Florida homeowners need to know before storms hit Florida homeowners are grappling with insurance challenges as hurricane season approaches, with experts at this week’s Governor’s Hurricane Conference in West Palm Beach emphasizing the critical importance of understanding coverage before storms strike. Emily Rogan, a consumer advocate with United Policyholders, told conference attendees that…
May 14, 2026 Policyholders Win In Calif. Water Leak Precedent Ruling Policyholder advocates in California won a significant victory on Thursday when a state appeals court said litigators can cite a recent ruling that could give legal guidance in disputes over whether… Read more
May 13, 2026 Financial Recovery Strategies for Tornado Survivors in Mississippi A series of violent tornadoes struck southwest Mississippi on the night of May 6, leaving families in Lincoln County to face the total loss of their residences as the sun rose the following morning Among those impacted were two brothers living in the Wash Trailer…
May 12, 2026 Two Coasts, Two Wins For Policyholders In Environmental Coverage Disputes Two recent court decisions on opposite coasts have delivered significant victories for policyholders seeking environmental insurance coverage, establishing important precedents for coverage disputes… Read more Two recent federal appellate decisions – one from the Second Circuit, one from the Ninth – will be useful tools…
May 12, 2026 ‘It’s definitely devastating’: Mississippi brothers lost one of their homes to a tornado in minutes — here’s how families can recover financially On the night of May 6, a series of powerful tornadoes tore through southwest Mississippi (1). By the time the sun came up, families in Lincoln County were stepping into the rubble of what used to be their homes. Among them were two brothers from…
May 8, 2026 First Steps After a Tornado United Policyholders is a nonprofit organization that is a voice and an information resource for insurance consumers in all 50 states. UP has helped guide disaster survivors on the road to recovery since 1991. Use this information with The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory…
May 8, 2026 How to Save Money on Homeowners Insurance The average premium for the most common type of homeowners insurance was $1,211 in 2017, the most recent year for which data was available, according to a report issued last year by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. That figure was up slightly from $1,192 in 2016. But that…
