Up in the News

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…

My marriage to Eli was an unceremonious affair. We both got off work early on a Friday afternoon and drove to the courthouse to say “I do” before it closed at 5 p.m. It was summer 2020 and COVID-19 was raging, so we donned face…

Courts around the nation have held that SARS-CoV-2 cannot cause direct physical damage or loss to property, but policyholder advocates are hoping the California Supreme Court will turn the tide. In a case that pits a concert organizer against its insurer, United Policyholders argues that…

Since a colossal New Year’s Eve storm caused part of the hillside that his house sits on to collapse, Benjamin Short has been in a constant daily battle to save his home. The Dec. 31 storm and waves of atmospheric rivers that hit Santa Cruz…

Just days after the end of a historic series of damaging storms, Santa Cruz County residents are trying to pick up the pieces. One of those pieces is navigating the world of insurance. To help residents get started, several local organizations have hosted information sessions…

On Sunday morning, Kyle Starks woke up to floodwaters that reached the door of his Jeep after yet another heavy rain storm drenched California. Emergency crews showed up with boats to float Starks and other residents of his rural mobile home park in Acampo to…

Soon after President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for the areas of California besieged by a series of atmospheric river storms on Jan. 9—a move that allowed victims to request financial help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency—Watsonville resident Amy Thomas reached out to…

Four years after the devastating Woolsey fire, Malibu residents who lost everything are still waiting for approvals, and contending with complicated mortgage and insurance processes, underlining what starting over really costs. To step into Barbara Ferris’s new house, you have to first grapple with what…