There’s Help for Dealing with Insurance
There’s Help for Dealing with Insurance

United Policyholders is a nonprofit organization that works for consumers with insurance problems/matters. The nonprofit does not take money from insurance companies, and they don’t sell insurance. Volunteers at United Policy have been through the insurance recovery process before and are strictly here to offer…
Kane County woman says Allstate threatened to drop insurance over Google Earth photos
Kane County woman says Allstate threatened to drop insurance over Google Earth photos

A woman in Kane County, Illinois, said Allstate threatened to drop her insurance coverage after reviewing pictures of her property that were taken without her knowledge. Roseanna Castillo said her insurer used Google Earth to snap aerial photos of her property. Then she received a…
Experts to address insurance crisis at Willits wildfire forum
Experts to address insurance crisis at Willits wildfire forum

With wildfire season looming and insurance rates climbing, Mendocino residents are invited to a free community event aimed at cutting through confusion and offering practical solutions. The Willits Wildfire and Insurance Forum & Fair takes place Thursday, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m. at the new…
After insurance pullback, advocates demand a ‘bill of rights’ for California policyholders
After insurance pullback, advocates demand a ‘bill of rights’ for California policyholders

A leading consumer group is proposing a policyholder rights initiative that would require insurers to offer coverage to California homeowners who fireproof their homes — or lose the right to sell home or auto insurance in the state for five years. Read more.
California’s insurer of last resort would face more scrutiny under bill heading to Newsom’s desk
California’s insurer of last resort would face more scrutiny under bill heading to Newsom’s desk

In the closing days of the legislative year, California lawmakers sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill that is meant to toughen scrutiny of the state’s embattled fire insurer of last resort by insisting that two of their leaders join its governing committee. Assembly Bill 234…
Bill to Increase Oversight of California’s FAIR Plan Awaits Newsom
Bill to Increase Oversight of California’s FAIR Plan Awaits Newsom

California lawmakers have passed Assembly Bill 234, which aims to increase scrutiny of the state’s FAIR Plan, the insurer of last resort for homeowners who cannot secure policies from other companies. The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Gavin Newsom. The legislation proposes adding…
California’s insurer of last resort would face more scrutiny under bill heading to Newsom’s desk
California’s insurer of last resort would face more scrutiny under bill heading to Newsom’s desk

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism. Keep up with LAist. If you’re enjoying this article, you’ll love…
NAACP Pasadena Acts to Prepare Vulnerable Communities for Next Disaster
NAACP Pasadena Acts to Prepare Vulnerable Communities for Next Disaster

September workshop asks the question haunting fire survivors: “If you had 30 minutes to evacuate, do you know what you would take?” The January Eaton Fire didn’t just burn structures—it exposed how catastrophically unprepared locate communities were for natural climate disasters, with widespread underinsurance a…
Senator Dave Cortese’s Bill to Establish the Nation’s First Catastrophic Model for Wildfires Passes the Assembly
Senator Dave Cortese’s Bill to Establish the Nation’s First Catastrophic Model for Wildfires Passes the Assembly

As wildfires continue to break out throughout California, Senator Dave Cortese’s SB 429 will help homeowners understand their property’s wildfire risk. It creates the nation’s first-of-its-kind public wildfire catastrophe model to assess wildfire risk and help inform insurance rates. “My bill establishes a public wildfire catastrophe…
Furious homeowner says her insurance company flew a drone over her house and refused renewal — for 1 minor reason
Furious homeowner says her insurance company flew a drone over her house and refused renewal — for 1 minor reason

When Lynne Schueler looked up at the branches of a beloved tree in her Massachusetts yard, she never expected that a drone might be looking down on her. Schueler, who had held a policy with the same insurer for more than a decade, was shocked…
Drones and aerial imaging raise new questions for homeowners and insurers
Drones and aerial imaging raise new questions for homeowners and insurers

California is pushing for homeowner rights as insurers use flying cameras for property assessments Why it matters: Flying cameras are changing how home insurers evaluate properties, raising questions about consumer rights and transparency. As California considers new disclosure rules, property owners face growing consequences from…
Flying Cameras Are Snapping Photos of Houses for Insurers. Will a California Bill Help Homeowners See Them?
Flying Cameras Are Snapping Photos of Houses for Insurers. Will a California Bill Help Homeowners See Them?

Airborne cameras are taking pictures of individual houses across the U.S. Insurance companies use the photos to inspect buildings after extreme weather, from hurricanes to hailstorms. But they also use them to determine which homes are too risky to insure. A bill in California—a state…
California moves to set nation’s first smoke damage insurance standard
California moves to set nation’s first smoke damage insurance standard

One of the most common insurance complaints after a fire comes from people whose homes are still standing but covered in potentially toxic soot. Because there is no state or federal standard for smoke damage, insurance companies often refuse to pay for cleanup, leaving victims…
California Insurance Bill – The Fight Over Public Adjuster Fees and Homeowner Payouts
California Insurance Bill – The Fight Over Public Adjuster Fees and Homeowner Payouts

What’s the real cost of AB 597? The proposed California bill is stirring up heated debates. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a game-changer or a disaster waiting to happen. On the surface, it’s all about “transparency” and reining in shady contracts. But dig…
A bad bill to rein in insurance adjusters? Proposed state law draws criticism
A bad bill to rein in insurance adjusters? Proposed state law draws criticism

After the devastating January firestorms left thousands of homeowners to grapple with their insurers over complicated claims for smoke damage and burned-down houses, many turned to public adjusters for help. The state-licensed professionals play a vital role in assisting policyholders in preparing property claims and…
Forum offers direction for protecting homes from wildfire, details property insurance efforts
Forum offers direction for protecting homes from wildfire, details property insurance efforts

The first defense against wildfire is in the hands of California homeowners: securing defensible space. “If you’re going to do one thing after this meeting, go buy mesh screening (for roof vents). It’s very easy to do, affordable but very effective,” California State Fire Marshal…
State officials urge homeowners to check fire insurance coverage
State officials urge homeowners to check fire insurance coverage

With the Gifford Fire now the largest wildfire in California this year, Assembly Member Dawn Addis gathered state leaders and insurance experts to help Central Coast homeowners better protect their property and coverage. Experts said many Californians are underinsured and do not realize it until…
Proposed California Ballot Initiative Seeks to Repeal Prop. 103
Proposed California Ballot Initiative Seeks to Repeal Prop. 103

A proposed ballot measure could significantly alter California’s property insurance regulations by repealing Proposition 103, a law passed in 1988 that governs home, auto, and other property and casualty insurance. Background on Proposition 103 Under Prop. 103, insurance companies must obtain approval from the state’s…