Closer look at flood insurance, FEMA’s reforms, lessons learned after Sandy missteps
Closer look at flood insurance, FEMA’s reforms, lessons learned after Sandy missteps

If the Federal Emergency Management Agency dealt itself a black eye with the poor job it did responding to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the horror stories that came out of the flood insurance claims process after Superstorm Sandy gave the agency another nasty shiner seven…
Document Flood and Fire Damage to Ease Insurance Claims
Document Flood and Fire Damage to Ease Insurance Claims

Victims of the recent flooding in Louisiana and wildfires in California should all do one thing: Document the damage to their property. Taking photos is crucial to help bolster an insurance claim, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit consumer advisory group,…
Disputing a Denied Life Insurance Claim in Pennsylvania
Disputing a Denied Life Insurance Claim in Pennsylvania

Losing a loved-one can be devastating. The situation can be even more devastating when the future that was supposed to be secured by a life insurance policy is denied. It doesn’t make sense. The policy was purchased by your loved-one so they could ensure you…
This is how a California wildfire can change your homeowners insurance rate
This is how a California wildfire can change your homeowners insurance rate

Some Southern California residents have seen their insurance rates skyrocket as a result of wildfires. The latest round of fires is fueling concerns that rates may eventually be boosted again. Scores of Southern California residents living in or near the path of the latest wildfires…
Rays of hope as Middletown residents return amid Valley fire
Rays of hope as Middletown residents return amid Valley fire

The Valley fire had spoiled Eric Lopez’s marriage proposal, but the story took an astonishing turn Saturday as he and his partner, Annette Perez, returned to their demolished Middletown apartment, armed with a shovel and rake to search the ashen remains of their worldy possessions.…
Home is home, rented or owned
Home is home, rented or owned

Buying renter’s insurance is an easy “yes” decision if you’ve got assets to protect. Most policies cost the equivalent of a few cups of coffee a week. A renter’s policy can give you money to repair/replace damaged and stolen stuff, moving costs if your place…
Long Island Company Charged in Insurance Scheme After Hurricane Sandy
Long Island Company Charged in Insurance Scheme After Hurricane Sandy

A Long Island engineering company and one of its former executives were charged on Monday in a scheme to minimize insurance payments to homeowners whose residences were damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In a 50-count indictment, Eric T. Schneiderman, the New York attorney general,…
Are insurance rates going up for people on the fire line? and other FAQ about fire insurance)
Are insurance rates going up for people on the fire line? and other FAQ about fire insurance)

As of midday Friday, the Soberanes Fire in Monterey County had destroyed at least 41 homes and put at least 2,000 homes and other buildings at risk. Meanwhile, the Sand Fire, which has burned more than 38,800 acres in the Santa Clarita hillsides, is 85…
​Long-term care for seniors is on life support
​Long-term care for seniors is on life support

This August, two of the country’s biggest insurance companies, MetLife MET) and Unum UNM), will be front and center before the Florida insurance commissioner. They’ll have to explain why they’re asking some of their 70,000 policyholders for double the amount they paid in premiums last…
Roadmap to Recovery’ workshop for Valley fire survivors planned for Aug. 2
Roadmap to Recovery’ workshop for Valley fire survivors planned for Aug. 2

COBB, Calif. – The “Roadmap to Recovery” workshop to discuss “healing and dealing” at the one-year anniversary of the Valley fire will be presented Tuesday, Aug. 2. The workshop will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Little Red Schoolhouse, located at 15780…
Why Insurance Companies Don’t Renew Policies
Why Insurance Companies Don’t Renew Policies

FOR the better part of a week last year, Nancy Wergeles searched her home in Weston, Conn., for the engagement ring her husband had given her 53 years before. They had had a string of health care aides in their home and were also putting…
NFIP Perseveres Despite Issues
NFIP Perseveres Despite Issues

The federal government’s flood insurance program has triggered a steady downpour of bad news, but private insurance isn’t going to replace the troubled program anytime soon unless Congress makes some changes, experts said. The National Flood Insurance Program is administered by FEMA, which works with…
Insurance emergency bulletin issued for West Virginia flood victims
Insurance emergency bulletin issued for West Virginia flood victims

Flash floods are doubly devastating because they often hit areas that had not been classified as flood risk zones.  Because most people only buy flood insurance if they’re in a zone where mortgage lenders by law make them buy it, flash flood victims rarely have…
How to find the replacement cost of your home for insurance
How to find the replacement cost of your home for insurance

When Herb Solomon changed his homeowners’ insurance this year, he was surprised to see that his new company estimated the replacement cost of his 2,600-square-foot North Berkeley home at roughly one-third less than the old one. Solomon’s policy last year, from Fireman’s Fund, had a…
You better not be reading this while driving!
You better not be reading this while driving!

Cell phones are powerfully addictive. People rarely put them down – even when driving. Insurance companies are citing an increase in distracted driving accidents and raising car insurance rates across the country. Buckle your seat belts – figuratively and literally, and be a savvy consumer:…
Do I Need Flood Insurance?
Do I Need Flood Insurance?

A megastorm has struck your house, leaving a pile of waterlogged wreckage in its wake. But you’re covered financially because you have homeowner’s insurance, right? Wrong. Although most homeowner’s and rental policies reimburse for damage caused by wind or fire, these policies generally exclude losses…
Which Insurance You Should Buy, Consider or Skip, According to an Insurance Salesman
Which Insurance You Should Buy, Consider or Skip, According to an Insurance Salesman

An anonymous agent reveals the dirtiest secrets of his profession, and the rules for building your personal safety net Remember Woody Allen? The movie director who married his ex-wife’s adopted daughter? Well, Woody once said, “There are worse things in life than death. Have you…
Credit Scores Can Impact Auto Insurance Renewals
Credit Scores Can Impact Auto Insurance Renewals

Trying to figure out how auto insurance companies set your rate can be a real head-scratcher. You’re unlikely to crack the formula, but you can be sure that your credit history is part of the equation, unless you live in one of the few states…