Up in the News

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association says California’s insurance marketplace is “fragile,” and has joined with other organizations calling for reforms to modernize the state’s rules and regulations when it comes to the homeowner insurance market. The association was one of 30 presenters participating in…

Three decades after deadly firestorms, overgrowth and dead trees have residents on edge Admiring East Oakland from a lookout point at Joaquin Miller Park, Dale Risden feels right at home, having lived just a block away from an entrance to the park’s 500 acres of…

Balancing a ‘chilling effect’ for modelers with consumer transparency The use of catastrophe modeling to influence insurance rates in California has been mooted as one part of a potential fix for the state’s property insurance crisis, but private-led use remains a controversial option with consumer…

Wildfires and floods in the Santa Cruz Mountains have not only upended the lives of thousands of residents in recent years, but they have also contributed to higher prices for homeowners insurance and caused some insurance providers to not renew coverage. Advocates this month offered…

“I’ve gone through some stressful things in my life, and this is right up there,” one homeowner said If you own a home in California or Florida — or are planning to sometime soon — you may be feeling increasingly worried about something that’s supposed…

“Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen speaks with Amy Bach, executive director at United Policyholders, about what homeowners can expect after Rolling Hills Estates landslide. Hector De La Torre of the California Air Resources Board talks about the environmental concerns behind hexavalent chromium. And later,…

Big wildfires had started burning more often in California, creeping closer to Beth Pratt’s home near Yosemite National Park. So Pratt did what homeowners in fire-prone areas are supposed to do: She added a metal roof, traded wood decking for laminate, installed a water tank…

United Policyholders, a non-profit organization that helps disaster victims navigate fair and full insurance claim settlements, is holding an online “Survivor to Survivor” meeting on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. The meeting is only for people who’ve been impacted by Hurricanes Ian or Nicole. Insurance…

When it was time for Florida retiree Sue Maher to renew her homeowners insurance this year, she experienced sticker shock. Her insurance carrier informed her in March that it was increasing her annual premium, already at $3,800, by $2,000. “I kind of freaked out when…

WHAT IS THE PRICE OF PARADISE? As Tampa Bay continues to attract new residents and businesses, the impact of living in paradise comes at a cost for all of us— from the increasing cost of housing and infrastructure to utilities and insurance. ABC Action News…

For years now, California residents have been losing their insurance because of fire risk, but new reasons are starting to emerge as the market has been shaken by several major providers limiting business in the state. Recently, KPIX met with a collection of neighbors in…

Just as wildfire season gets underway, homeowners insurance is becoming more and more scarce. Some companies aren’t writing any new policies, while others are dropping longtime customers. Among them is an East Bay man who was told he lost his insurance — based on photos…

California has the strongest insurance protections for consumers in the country. It’s time — with top insurers refusing to write new policies in the state — for Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to flex them to tell Big Insurance to back off, advocates say. Allstate Insurance…

Amy Bach, the founder of United Policyholders, joins Lisa Dent to explain the steps you need to go through if your house was damaged by the severe weather that covered parts of the Chicagoland area this week. Listen to the audio.

The stress of a storm soon gives way to the stress of repairs. Here’s where experts say you should start. A roaring storm, a tearing roof — and soon, a ticking clock. Homeowners don’t have much time between the immediate stress of a severe weather…

Carl N. Scott of Coppell put a question to The Watchdog: “Has anyone told you how Texas insurance rates have soared?” He told me his homeowner’s policy with Nationwide jumped 64% in one year. Wow! That’s crazy. Steve Brown, The Dallas Morning News real estate editor, followed…

Cedar Fire victim has a list of simple things you can do now to help make sure you’re prepared to quickly evacuate and rebuild if your home is damaged. Firefighters across the county are bracing for the potential of a brutal fire season, but are…