May 1, 2017 Gardening and Hardening We think your insurance company should help and reward you for taking steps to make your property less likely to be damaged or destroyed in a wildfire. We are working hard to make that happen. This is the official start of wildfire season, and now…
April 28, 2017 Senate Bill Would Extend National Flood Insurance Program for 10 Years U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) have released draft legislation to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for 10 years. The NFIP is currently set to expire on Sept. 30, 2017. The legislation, the Flood Insurance Affordability & Sustainability Act of…
April 23, 2017 Essential Property Insurance Coverage Information Withheld from Consumers An April 2017 report by United Policyholders reveals the state rankings of homeowner insurance protections that impact buying insurance. The research revealed that many major insurance companies and many states withhold coverage and policy provisions from consumers during the purchase. These same companies and states…
April 20, 2017 Delaware Ranks High Among States for Homeowners’ Insurance Protections Dover, DE – Delaware homeowners are among the most protected in the nation against having their homeowners insurance non-renewed or rates raised due to filing or even inquiring about a claim. This is according to a recent study by the Rutgers Center for Risk and…
April 20, 2017 How your selfie could affect your life insurance A selfie reveals more than whether it’s a good hair day. Facial lines and contours, droops and dark spots could indicate how well you’re aging, and, when paired with other data, could someday help determine whether you qualify for life insurance. “Your face is something…
April 19, 2017 Rutgers Law School’s Essential Protections for Policyholders report recommends improvements by states to help homeowners buy insurance Coverage, quality, and price are the top issues consumers need to consider when buying or renewing a homeowners insurance policy, but a report by the Rutgers Law School in Camden finds that most states do not require insurance companies to provide adequate information to consumers…
April 18, 2017 Top 10 states for homeowners’ insurance protections Agents are well-aware of how state insurance regulations can affect themselves and the insurance industry as a whole. It’s also important to also know how they affect policyholders, especially homeowners. According to a report by the Rutgers Center for Risk and Responsibility at Rutgers Law…
April 11, 2017 America’s flood insurance system is sinking Here’s some bad news for the 5 million Americans who have flood insurance policies: Premiums will rise an average 6.3 percent this year, according to the National Flood Insurance Program NFIP). But this could be followed by even worse news when rates rise as much…
April 7, 2017 Flood Insurance: Pricier This Year, and May Go Higher The New York Times) New York Times – Many homeowners who have flood insurance — or are seeking to buy it — will face higher premiums this year, because of increases that took effect April 1. Premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program rose an average of about 6…
March 31, 2017 Policyholders Group Backs D&O Coverage Denial Appeal A nonprofit insurance policyholders advocacy group asked the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to overturn a California federal judge’s decision that an educational technology company isn’t covered for a suit alleging an incentive program for its recruiters broke federal law, saying the lower court rendered the…
March 16, 2017 A Flood of (tightening the) Belt(way) Attention Reforming and/or re-authorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has moved front and center in our nation’s Capitol in the past month, and was mentioned prominently in the budget proposal recently issued by the White House. The NFIP is basically a privatized government program created by Congress through which insurance companies and vendors…
March 16, 2017 The “Catch UP” webinar series: Making appraisal work for your client Catch UP on how to use the appraisal process to settle an insurance dispute from the comfort of your home or office. Lawyers can earn continuing ed credit for registering for the webinar. And best of all, your registration fee supports our non-profit’s important work…
March 15, 2017 Fire Safe Council gathering data on homeowner’s insurance – Take the survey NEVADA CITY, Calif. March 15, 2017 – The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County FSCNC) is participating in the State’s Tree Mortality Task Force. Our local group is looking to gather data to make a case that insurance companies are not following state law when…
March 8, 2017 Rutgers Law School Project Addresses ‘Use It And Lose It’ in Homeowners Insurance The Essential Protections for Policyholders Project is a two-year project that focuses much of its research on consumers that file ordinary claims, examining what they are surprised or disappointed by and how some of the best states are protecting insurance consumers, Feinman said in a…
March 7, 2017 Texas Businesses Line Up Against Lt. Governor’s High-Priority Insurance Bill Major business interests are lining up against one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s top priorities — a bill that would make it harder for Texans to force their insurance companies to pay up when calamity strikes. Patrick and his allies say the bill, Senate Bill…
March 1, 2017 Ability re: disability If you’re fortunate to have disability insurance, but unfortunate to need to use it, there are a few key points to keep in mind when gathering proof of your eligibility for benefits, presenting it and completing insurance claim paperwork. The bottom line is, take a…
February 25, 2017 ConsumerWatch Weekend: Flood Insurance Consumer reporter Julie Watts spoke with Emily Rogan, with consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, about resources available to flood victims without insurance.
February 23, 2017 First Steps After a Flood 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. This information will walk you through the first few weeks. Here…
