February 16, 2012 Flood disaster made worse by some insurers Any kind of disaster insurance can be very tricky. Fine print in a policy can mean the difference between having the money to rebuild – and having nothing. But, reports Julie Watts, of CBS station KPIX in San Francisco, a dispute over what caused a…
February 8, 2012 New York Probes Home Insurers New York’s Department of Financial Services has been probing banks and insurance companies for allegedly obtaining excessive fees on homeowners’ policies that they force borrowers to pay for when their insurance lapses, said people familiar with the matter.Superintendent Benjamin M. Lawsky in the fall of…
February 1, 2012 After the disaster: Uninsured homeowners have little to fall back on The images of the tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires of 2011 remain seared in our memories. You might live in one of the areas battered by weather tragedies. Or you might have frantically checked on friends and relatives who were affected by natural disasters.…
January 31, 2012 Life… consider the alternative If you’re thinking about buying or updating a life insurance policy, or supplementing one your employer provides, your first task should be to find a reputable, experienced broker. Even the most traditional life insurance policies can have a “catch” – be it premiums that skyrocket…
January 27, 2012 New rules help CA homeowners with insurance SACRAMENTO, Calif. KGO) — If a disaster strikes, is your home fully insured? New rules are now in effect to make sure you’re covered. 7 On Your Side’s Michael Finney explains. You pay for insurance for years, hoping to never need it. Then, there’s a…
January 18, 2012 Is your independent insurance agent truly an independent agent? It’s no secret that independent insurance agents — who sell auto, home and other types of coverage from more than one insurer — earn their keep through a commission each time a customer signs up for a policy. After all, they need to be compensated…
January 5, 2012 How to Do a “Needs Analysis” Before you Buy Life Insurance When buying life insurance, don’t choose a policy before you understand the financial needs of your beneficiaries. Damon Bates, a vice president at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., says most people’s thinking is backwards when it comes to life insurance. They decide on the product…
December 5, 2011 A Home-Insurance Trap? Home-insurance policies are pretty much the same, and carriers compete on the basis of price and service—right? Believe those two myths and you might wind up paying dearly. Homeowner policies have important differences that can affect whether claims are paid, according to a study scheduled…
December 5, 2011 Understanding endorsements and riders for home insurance policies In the insurance world, endorsements have nothing to do with celebrities promoting products, and riders have nothing to do with cowboys. “Endorsement” and “rider” are two interchangeable — and often misunderstood — terms referring to additions to a home insurance policy that alter the policy’s…
November 28, 2011 Workshops help Boulder County homeowners find out if they’re underinsured Once the last embers of the Fourmile Fire were extinguished, the owners of the 169 burned homes were left with another challenge — wrangling with their insurance companies. The results of their efforts may serve as a cautionary tale to other homeowners in Boulder County…
November 15, 2011 The Toll of the Tea Fire: Three years later, community struggles to rebuild On November 13, 2008, a firestorm roared across the flanks of the Santa Ynez Mountains and changed many lives in Montecito forever. Lance and Carla Hoffman were enjoying an afternoon together when the fire, still in its infancy, suddenly flared up and over a hillside.…
November 14, 2011 Major Improvements Coming to Crestmoor Neighborhood The city is set to begin the next improvements to the Crestmoor neighborhood as part of the effort to rebuild the area damaged by the Sept. 9, 2010, PG&E pipeline explosion. Some of the rebuilding work has already taken place to bring the neighborhood some…
November 9, 2011 The Great Shake Out: Drop, Cover and Hold On! United Policyholders will be participating in The Great California ShakeOut, and we hope you will too. What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterward. The ShakeOut is a statewide earthquake drill that will occur in houses,…
November 7, 2011 Sharp Disagreement At NAIC Session On Readability Of Consumer Information Industry representatives sharply disagreed with two law professors who argued personal lines policies should be posted online where they would be readily available to consumers who wanted to look at them prior to signing onto them. Spokesmen for the American Insurance Association and the National…
November 7, 2011 The cost of peace of mind Local couple fight for their long-term-care insurance. Edwin Goldstein who has been with his long-term-care insurer since 1993 is being asked to reapply because of an alleged missed payment. Goldstein has turned to attorneys, his congressman, and state officials for help. At 83, and eight…
November 1, 2011 20 years after Oakland firestorm, insurance snags remain Reporting from Oakland— For months after the 1991 Oakland hills fire reduced his home to a charred heap, Howard Matis would return from work, then close his eyes and imagine the contents of every drawer, shelf, cupboard and closet of his two-story bungalow. His was…
October 25, 2011 Oakland hills fire: homeowners in high-risk areas must make sure they have adequate coverage For months after the 1991 Oakland hills fire reduced his home on Sherwick Drive to a charred heap, Howard Matis would return from work, then close his eyes and imagine the contents of every drawer, shelf, cupboard and closet of his two-story bungalow. But how…
October 25, 2011 San Bruno fire victims struggle with insurance companies SAN BRUNO, Calif. KGO) — More than a year after the San Bruno pipeline explosion, recovering and rebuilding is slow-going. Homeowners are having a hard time getting what they need from their insurance companies. The intersection where a PG&E pipeline exploded over a year ago…
