Up in the News

A long-simmering suit involving pharmaceutical giant Merck and the 2017 NotPetya cyber attack has finally been ruled on, and the victory for Merck means that cyber insurers now have much less ground to stand on when denying insurance claims on an “act of war” basis.…

Court ruled insurers could not rely on exclusion A US state appeals court last week dealt a blow to a group of insurers relying on a war exclusion to avoid paying up for a chunk of a $1.4 billion insurance claim from NotPetya cyberattack victim…

A court victory in the closely watched insurance case is expected to stabilize a turbulent market and provide some assurance for organizations amid a rise in nation-state activity. A New Jersey appellate court upheld a prior ruling in favor of Merck, a major pharmaceutical company…

Residents of California know we should have an emergency preparedness kit and be ready for disasters such as earthquakes and wildfires. But have you thought about disaster preparedness for your finances? Take some steps now to organize important documents and plan how you’ll access them…

The appellate division of New Jersey Superior Court has upheld a state trial court opinion that the war exclusion in drugmaker Merck & Co.’s all-risk property insurance policies does not apply in the case of the cyber attack that the company suffered in 2017. The…

PLACER COUNTY – A Placer County couple found themselves living in a trailer on their property after a car flew into the second story of their home last weekend. Turns out, that is not the only surprise they’re facing. After a painstakingly long process to…

Insurance companies have resisted changes to the industry that would benefit survivors of natural disasters, making it more difficult for homeowners facing this dire situation. The second moment of trauma There is another looming moment not often talked about that comes in the wake of…

In aftermath of the deadly tornadoes that ripped across parts of the Midwest and South this week, homeowners may rightfully be nervous about whether they are financially protected against potentially devastating storms. The last three years have had the highest insured losses on record from…

Deadly storms in the past two weeks have unleashed dozens of tornadoes in the United States, mainly in the South and Midwest, killing at least 63 people and damaging or destroying hundreds of people’s homes. This year’s early severe weather, especially in the Midwest, is…

When it’s springtime in Texas, that question gets asked a lot. Some answers and advice about property damage and insurance. Because I do so many housing stories, I decided to hit a really large stack of books and go through the Texas real estate agent…

Here’s a scary statistic: About 70 percent of homeowners who filed claims after the 2020 California wildfires reported problems with their insurer, including difficulty getting claims paid, according to a survey by United Policyholders, a nonprofit that advises consumers on insurance claims. That’s just one…

As rain continues to pummel the state, Californians are facing a grim reality. Storms have caused billions of dollars in damages, yet only a fraction is covered by insurance, leaving homeowners to pay out of pocket for repairs. It can run in hundreds of thousands…

Collecting on your policy after a disaster can be another ordeal. These tips could help smooth the process Here’s a scary statistic: About 70 percent of homeowners who filed claims after the 2020 California wildfires reported problems with their insurer, including difficulty getting claims paid,…

A big earthquake could strike Southern California at any time. If you’re a renter, you need to take steps to make surviving and rebuilding your life a bit easier. At the bare minimum Check out FEMA’s earthquake prep list and buy earthquake supplies. Protect yourself…

The West’s new climate is exacerbating housing inequality in the quintessentially blue state of California Climate change and its most extreme consequences are pushing up the price of homes throughout much of the American West, as fires and flooding carve into existing housing stock and…