Napa homeowner awarded $4.35 million after losing home in 2017 fire
Napa homeowner awarded $4.35 million after losing home in 2017 fire

A Napa County jury Monday returned a $4.35 million verdict against a State Farm Insurance Company agent, agreeing that the agent was negligent when she failed to increase the coverage for a Silverado homeowner before the October 2017 wildfires. The homeowners, Jack and Gayle Daniels…
Treasury to insurers: Divulge your climate risks
Treasury to insurers: Divulge your climate risks

The Biden administration launched an unprecedented effort Tuesday to analyze how climate change is affecting property insurance costs and availability. The move comes as homeowners face soaring premiums in several states and dwindling insurance options. The Treasury Department’s Federal Insurance Office said it plans to…
California looks to lower insurance costs with new wildfire regulations
California looks to lower insurance costs with new wildfire regulations

California has introduced new wildfire safety regulation to help drive down cost of insurance by recognizing and rewarding wildfire safety and mitigation efforts made by homeowners and businesses. Insurance Commission Ricardo Lara’s regulation will require insurance companies to submit new rates that recognize the benefit…
State enforces nation’s first wildfire safety regulation to help drive down cost of insurance
State enforces nation’s first wildfire safety regulation to help drive down cost of insurance

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said he will enforce the new insurance pricing regulation he wrote recognizing and rewarding wildfire safety and mitigation efforts made by homeowners and businesses. Commissioner Lara’s regulation is the first in the nation requiring insurance companies to provide discounts to consumers…
California will require insurers to reward consumers for wildfire mitigations
California will require insurers to reward consumers for wildfire mitigations

(The Center Square) – California homeowners and businesses that take steps to protect their properties from wildfires will soon pay lower insurance rates under a new, first-in-the-nation framework introduced by the state’s insurance commissioner. The new regulation, announced by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, requires…
New California regulations provide wildfire insurance discount in some cases
New California regulations provide wildfire insurance discount in some cases

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Department of Insurance has issued new regulations that require homeowners insurance companies to incorporate discounts into their rates for customers and communities that seriously reduce their wildfire risk. Enormous rate increases and massive cancelations have plagued consumers for the last…
California to require insurance discounts for property owners who reduce wildfire risk
California to require insurance discounts for property owners who reduce wildfire risk

California will become the first state in the nation to require insurance premium discounts for owners of homes and businesses that are made safer from wildfires. New rules mandate that insurance companies reward consumers who take wildfire safety and mitigation actions under the state’s Safer…
Liz Weston: 3 inflation-savvy moves to make now
Liz Weston: 3 inflation-savvy moves to make now

Inflation is proving to be a stubborn, unwanted houseguest. No one particularly likes paying more for food, fuel and other living costs. But so far, the Federal Reserve’s attempts since March to evict inflation with higher interest rates haven’t worked. Because we may be stuck…
Purchasing Or Renewing Your Homeowners Insurance? What You Have to Ask Your Agent
Purchasing Or Renewing Your Homeowners Insurance? What You Have to Ask Your Agent

Will your insurance cover you if you have a fire or if your home is destroyed in a disaster? These are some of the questions you should be asking your insurance agent before you have a disaster. One of the top Public Insurance Adjusters in…
Record number of residents rebuilding high-performance homes after Marshall Fire
Record number of residents rebuilding high-performance homes after Marshall Fire

41% rebuilding to standards that earn incentives for energy efficiency Boulder County, Colo.- Record numbers of residents impacted by the Marshall Fire are choosing to rebuild high-performance homes that use less energy and little to no fossil fuel energy. 41% of homes that have been…
Tips To Help Consumers Get Fair Insurance Treatment After Hurricane Ian
Tips To Help Consumers Get Fair Insurance Treatment After Hurricane Ian

Insurers and Public Officials Must Ensure Consumer Claims Get Paid in Full Washington, DC – Today Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and United Policyholders (UP) shared resources to help consumers get their wind and flood insurance claims paid promptly, fully, and fairly in the wake of Hurricane…
Food manufacturer may amend COVID business interruption suit
Food manufacturer may amend COVID business interruption suit

An organic and vegetarian food manufacturer should be allowed to amend its COVID-19 business interruption lawsuit to allege coverage under its communicable disease policy provision, a California appeals court has ruled, in overturning a lower court ruling that dismissed the case. Petaluma, California-based Amy’s Kitchen…
Much of the damage from Hurricane Ian will be from flooding, but will homeowners be covered?
Much of the damage from Hurricane Ian will be from flooding, but will homeowners be covered?

Ian has now regained hurricane strength after exiting the state of Florida. It’s now threatening the Carolinas. A lot of destruction from the storm is from water. Massive storm surges inundated cities and towns along the Gulf Coast, and there’s been heavy rain across much…
Vermont High Court: COVID Virus, Like Cat Urine, Can Cause Physical Loss
Vermont High Court: COVID Virus, Like Cat Urine, Can Cause Physical Loss

Citing decisions that found insurance coverage was owed for contamination caused by cat urine and gasoline vapors, the Vermont Supreme Court broke from courts across the nation and found that SARS-CoV-2 can cause a direct physical loss to property. The 3-2 decision released Friday revived…
Vermont high court first to rule in policyholders’ favor in COVID litigation
Vermont high court first to rule in policyholders’ favor in COVID litigation

The Vermont Supreme Court on Friday became the first state high court to rule in policyholders’ favor in COVID-19-related business interruption litigation, holding in a divided ruling that the virus may have caused direct physical damage. The 3-2 ruling in Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. et…
How Do You Solve a Problem Like California?
How Do You Solve a Problem Like California?

California has a wildfire crisis. Arguably, the entire Western United States has a wildfire crisis, but California’s crisis is of an entirely different magnitude. California also has a homeowners insurance crisis. That crisis began in 2019, when nonrenewals of residential policies in the state grew…
Does car insurance go down at 25?
Does car insurance go down at 25?

Car insurance rates for young drivers can be eye-wateringly expensive, but does your car insurance premium decrease when you turn 25? Based on Bankrate’s study of average premiums, potentially yes. The average cost of car insurance for 25 year olds is $2,176 per year for…
New rule aims to help California homeowners dropped by insurance companies over wildfire risk
New rule aims to help California homeowners dropped by insurance companies over wildfire risk

Rita Tanner noted that she did much of what state officials have asked of California homeowners to better fireproof their homes. She and her husband put on a new fire-resistant roof in January and have cleared the defensible space around their home along Calistoga Road…