May 20, 2015 Shop so you don’t drop (more $ than you should) The quality of your insurance really does matter, but figuring out which policy will give you more protection is tricky. UP can guide you on what to look for and avoid, but getting the real scoop and comparing different options is very hard to do…
May 20, 2015 Letters go out to Sandy victims who want to reopen claims The National Flood Insurance Program began mailing letters to superstorm Sandy victims Monday to start the process of reviewing thousands of claims that may have been underpaid after the 2012 disaster.The first round of roughly 15,000 notices are going to homeowners whose properties were inspected…
May 18, 2015 FEMA will reopen Superstorm Sandy claims this week United Policyholders’ Executive Director Amy Bach talks with radio journalist Maggie Glynn of Magic 98.3 in New Jersey about the devastating woes still facing many Sandy victims. Bach and Glynn discuss what went wrong insurance-wise after Sandy, the reopen process, and the resources available on…
May 17, 2015 Being A Loyal Auto Insurance Customer Can Cost You Many companies reward their most loyal customers with incentives, discounts and freebies. But in car insurance, the opposite can actually happen. A driver can be punished with a higher premium just for being loyal to the company. It’s called price optimization, and it happens to…
May 14, 2015 Why Sandy Homeowners Were Left In The Lurch Superstorm Sandy’s storm surge was so strong when it hit Long Island in October 2012 that it lifted up Dan Stapleton’s Long Beach home and then kicked in the corner of the foundation. It left a 30-foot hole around his house. Stapleton, unlike many Sandy…
May 11, 2015 Fed Probe Why Sandy Victims Were Shortchanged on Flood Insurance Claims Critics call for wide-ranging, structural reforms to ensure problems encountered after Sandy don’t happen again Amid the stress and confusion in the immediate aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, residents of coastal communities found themselves struggling to comprehend their losses and how to begin to put things…
May 11, 2015 The List: 10 Reasons Why Insurance Companies May Have Underpaid Sandy Victims Theories abound in the absence of clear information about just what went on behind the scenes in the aftermath of disastrous storm In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, many insurance policyholders were denied coverage after engineering reports determined that their damage supposedly pre-existed the storm…
May 9, 2015 FEMA mulls overhaul of flood insurance program amid claims of fraud, lack of oversight Lawmakers and federal officials trying to overhaul the National Flood Insurance Program are considering dismantling a sprawling system that relies on more than 80 separate companies to sell policies, collect premiums and calculate damages after disasters. The move, in response to allegations that claims were…
April 30, 2015 Property owners face important deadlines on second anniversary of wildfire El Paso County, CO, April 29, 2015 – With the two year anniversary of the Black Forest Fire approaching El Paso County reminds property owners to keep in mind important insurance deadlines. “Residents impacted by the Black Forest Fire need to meet certain deadlines in…
April 29, 2015 Hurricane Sandy Judges Demand Clearing of Settlement Roadblocks Federal officials and flood insurance companies were chastised by a panel of New York judges for imposing delays on settlements with hundreds of Hurricane Sandy victims who alleged their claims were wrongfully denied or underpaid.Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and lawyers for 25…
April 28, 2015 Roadmap to Preparedness UPdate THRIVE-ing after a flood After a winter storm caused severe flooding south of San Francisco, UP answered evacuees’ insurance questions at a temporary shelter and help center in San Mateo, California. Several months later at a Enhancing Community Resilience Conference hosted by the THRIVE alliance…
April 24, 2015 Bank’s offer of ‘free’ insurance is dubious way to appreciate customers Sally Hwang recently spotted a payment of $8.10 on her checking account statement for accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Problem was, she had no recollection of signing up for such coverage. Worse, it appeared the Glendale resident had been making the payment every quarter for…
April 22, 2015 No secrets: What insurers know about you and how they use your personal data Before they decide how much you have to pay for your auto insurance, carriers probe deep into your background to determine how likely you are to file claims. Most consumers would be surprised to learn how much personal information is available to insurers, says Amy…
April 22, 2015 Tampered Engineering Reports Only the Beginning for Sandy Victims As a general contractor who specializes in insurance repairs, Larry Steimel with Pequannock, NJ-based LA Design and Construction has had a front row seat to some of the problems people have had rebuilding their homes. The biggest hurdle after Sandy, he says, has been the…
April 22, 2015 AG lawsuit: State Farm enriched itself through Katrina homeowner program Attorney General Jim Hood is suing State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. over millions of dollars he claims the state lost because the insurance company “maliciously” denied Hurricane Katrina claims for wind losses while the federally funded Homeowners Assistance Program picked up the tab.The lawsuit…
April 20, 2015 Will I really save on auto insurance as soon as I turn 25? If you’re a driver under 25, you’ve probably heard of the money magic that’s supposed to happen when you reach the quarter-century milestone, such as being able to rent a car at a standard rate — without young-driver surcharges. Another big plus of hitting the…
April 10, 2015 Tips to avoid being ripped off when property is damaged by storms SAGINAW, MI WNEM) -It’s severe weather season, so Angie’s List has put together some tips about how to avoid being ripped off if your property is damaged in the storm. 1. Avoid door-to-door solicitors Drifter companies often rush to disaster areas where widespread damage has…
April 9, 2015 The Big One Is Coming: Should Californians Get Earthquake Insurance? In disaster movies, California gets hit hard: The Golden Gate Bridge has fallen umpteen times. Los Angeles has been flattened by megaquakes and monstrous destruction. And let’s not even talk about the damage wrought by cyborgs sent back in time to ensure a nuclear holocaust.…