The pros and cons of self-insurance for homeowners
The pros and cons of self-insurance for homeowners

“What do you think about going without homeowners insurance?” It was a question I had been asked before. Tim is a past client who I helped buy a home in Shingle Springs several years ago. He told me when he first purchased the home State…
Insurance companies are increasingly scrutinizing the state of the inside of your house
Insurance companies are increasingly scrutinizing the state of the inside of your house

Predict and prevent is the aim of the insurance industry’s latest approach to forestall the need for them to replace. Insurance companies aren’t just scrutinizing your roof. They are snooping more closely at fixtures under the sink and around the toilet, too. Particular kinds of…
District 1 Town Hall Offers Advice on Navigating Fire Insurance Crisis
District 1 Town Hall Offers Advice on Navigating Fire Insurance Crisis

If you are dropped from your fire insurance, ask questions and find out why, a national consumer advocate advised attendees at the District 1 Town Hall in Nevada City Tuesday. Amy Bach, co-founder of United Policyholders, also advised finding out your risk score (similar to…
Insurance coverage law certification proposal pitched
Insurance coverage law certification proposal pitched

‘It’s a very nuanced area of the law that requires continuous work, continuous study’ Certification logoTampa insurance lawyer Debbie Crockett has good news for Florida consumers and colleagues who believe their years of experience in a complex practice area sets them apart. On August 12,…
Insurance Company Uses Drone To SPY On Home Renovation Project and Leads to Insurance Cancellation
Insurance Company Uses Drone To SPY On Home Renovation Project and Leads to Insurance Cancellation

In a surprising and unsettling turn of events, a woman from Modesto, California, found herself without home insurance coverage after nearly 40 years. According to CBS News Sacramento’s Kurtis Ming, the insurance company, CSAA, abruptly canceled her policy due to what they observed from a…
Keep insurers’ fingers out of Maui wildfire survivors’ pockets
Keep insurers’ fingers out of Maui wildfire survivors’ pockets

For Maui wildfire survivors, the global settlement of lawsuits provides a degree of certainty and closure. With lawsuits behind them, survivors can begin the long process of rebuilding and recovering without the specter of long legal battles. Under the proposed settlement, many wildfire survivors reached…
Climate damage claims impacting mortgages and insurance consumers
Climate damage claims impacting mortgages and insurance consumers

The application of AI to weather disaster coverage and claims is creating problems for mortgage lenders, not just claimants, according to policyholder advocates who addressed the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) at its summer conference August 12. Read more.
Woman’s insurance canceled after drone flies over her home
Woman’s insurance canceled after drone flies over her home

A woman had her insurance canceled after a drone flew over her home. According to CBS News,a woman from Modesto, California told CBS Sacramento that her home insurance company of nearly 40 years dropped her coverage because of what it spotted with a drone. Joan…
Home damaged by Tropical Storm Debby? Here are helpful tips for claiming insurance payout
Home damaged by Tropical Storm Debby? Here are helpful tips for claiming insurance payout

It’s a long way from the paths of destruction carved out by such historic weather events as Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, but Tropical Storm Debby, which cut through central Pennsylvania this past weekend, left a path of destruction with plenty of damaged roofs and…
District 1 Town Hall meeting to feature insurance consumer advocate Amy Bach
District 1 Town Hall meeting to feature insurance consumer advocate Amy Bach

Supervisor Heidi Hall is hosting a town hall meeting this evening at the Nevada City Council Chambers, featuring nationally recognized insurance consumer advocate Amy Bach, Executive Director and founder of United Policyholders. The meeting can be viewed live online from our YouTube channel or you…
Insurers deemed mold too risky decades ago. That coverage gap still surprises homeowners
Insurers deemed mold too risky decades ago. That coverage gap still surprises homeowners

When a nor’easter struck in 2018, intense winds blew shingles, gutters and siding off Brandi Schmitt’s home in Lothian, Maryland. Her family was without electricity for three days, during which time all of their food in the refrigerator spoiled and water continued to leak into…
The Hidden Risk: How Mold Coverage Gaps Leave Homeowners Vulnerable
The Hidden Risk: How Mold Coverage Gaps Leave Homeowners Vulnerable

As a journalist with over 20 years of experience in the legal and insurance sectors, I’ve seen firsthand how the complexities of insurance coverage can catch homeowners off guard. One of the most surprising gaps in coverage involves mold—a problem that is becoming increasingly prevalent…
California implements plan to speed up reviews of insurance price increases backed by Newsom
California implements plan to speed up reviews of insurance price increases backed by Newsom

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara bypassed the Legislature on Friday to implement a plan to speed up California’s review of price increases for home and automobile coverage. The proposal, which stalled for months after it was hastily championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is meant to soothe…
Homeowner: Insurance Company Looked in With Drones
Homeowner: Insurance Company Looked in With Drones

A California homeowner said her longtime insurance provider used drones to spy on her property, then refused to renew her policy after spotting “hazardous” construction debris and “clutter” in her Modesto yard. Joan Van Kuren told CBS News she had been renovating her home for…
Woman Has Insurance Canceled After Company Flew Drone Over Her House
Woman Has Insurance Canceled After Company Flew Drone Over Her House

A woman who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on home renovations had her insurance canceled after the company flew a drone over her house and cited unsanitary conditions. Joan Van Kuren from Modesto, California was furious after receiving a letter from CSAA dropping her…
Assistance centers opening for Park Fire victims
Assistance centers opening for Park Fire victims

Tehama County, in conjunction with local, state, and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, will host a local assistance center for individuals, families and businesses affected by the Park Fire. The event will be held inside the Red Bluff Community Center, 1500 S. Jackson St. According…
Homeowner claims insurance company used drone to spy on her property before dropping her from plan: ‘No freaking way’
Homeowner claims insurance company used drone to spy on her property before dropping her from plan: ‘No freaking way’

A homeowner in California claims her longtime insurance provider dropped her after it allegedly used a drone to take images of her property while she was renovating her home. Joan Van Kuren said she received a notice from CSAA that it was ending its coverage…
Court rules insurance doesn’t cover restaurant’s COVID-related business losses
Court rules insurance doesn’t cover restaurant’s COVID-related business losses

An insurance policy covering losses caused by viruses carried by water or windstorms doesn’t apply to a San Francisco restaurant’s COVID shutdown, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The court had ruled unanimously in May that businesses forced to close their doors or cancel events…