California to beef up backstop for those losing homeowners’ insurance in wildfire-prone areas
California to beef up backstop for those losing homeowners’ insurance in wildfire-prone areas

California regulators announced on Thursday new protections aimed at helping the growing number of people living in wildfire-prone areas who cannot find adequate homeowner’s insurance. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said that starting early next year his agency will significantly expand a state-created program that acts…
Flood Insurance Problems that Bedeviled Sandy Homeowners Still Remain: Who Will Fix Them?
Flood Insurance Problems that Bedeviled Sandy Homeowners Still Remain: Who Will Fix Them?

Menendez legislation that would reform federal program may be voted on this week, but it faces uphill battle When Superstorm Sandy came ashore near Denise Vaccaro’s bayfront home in the Ocean County community of Forked River back in October of 2012, it was just the…
Evacuated from the fires? Read this before you file an insurance claim
Evacuated from the fires? Read this before you file an insurance claim

The California Department of Insurance has been urging residents who were under mandatory evacuation during the Kincade and Southern California wildfires to see if they can file a claim for additional living expenses under their homeowners or renters policies. Most policies in California cover expenses…
Insurance Commissioner to Order Increased FAIR Plan Coverage Options
Insurance Commissioner to Order Increased FAIR Plan Coverage Options

Sacramento, CA…As wildfire risk drives more non-renewals of homeowner insurance across the state, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is taking action to help homeowners find adequate coverage to protect their homes by ordering the FAIR Plan to offer a comprehensive policy in addition to its current…
Kincade fire survivors gather for updates, resources at Alexander Valley Community Center
Kincade fire survivors gather for updates, resources at Alexander Valley Community Center

When the more than 200 Kincade fire survivors who gathered Saturday morning at the Alexander Valley Community Center in Geyserville heard a firefighter introduce himself, they filled the hall with applause. More than half of them had structures burned in the fire. Some lost entire…
Survey: One-third want to rebuild after Camp Fire, over 60% under-insured
Survey: One-third want to rebuild after Camp Fire, over 60% under-insured

United Policyholders one-year survey released Less than one third of the Camp Fire survivors who responded to a survey about their insurance claims a year after the disaster said they had decided to rebuild. Those who said they planned to rebuild their home was 28…
California to expand last-resort fire insurance plan for homeowners
California to expand last-resort fire insurance plan for homeowners

With more destructive wildfires burning California, insurance companies are increasingly declining coverage to homeowners As more companies refuse to provide fire insurance to homeowners in a state plagued by increasingly destructive blazes, California’s insurance commissioner said Thursday that a plan once meant to be a…
California to overhaul insurance plan after wildfires
California to overhaul insurance plan after wildfires

SACRAMENTO, Calif. AP) — Californians who lost their home insurance because of the threat of wildfires will be able to buy comprehensive policies next year through a state-mandated plan under an order issued Thursday by the state insurance commissioner. As wildfires threaten the state, insurance…
Homeowners In Fire Zones Lose Insurance Coverage
Homeowners In Fire Zones Lose Insurance Coverage

OAKLAND KPIX 5) — As fires ravage California each year, more homeowners are at risk of losing their insurance. The fires across the region in recent weeks caused memories of the 1991 fire in the Oakland hills to come racing back to homeowner Al Fleischman.…
‘Pioneers’ choose to rebuild against the fire odds in Butte County
‘Pioneers’ choose to rebuild against the fire odds in Butte County

PARADISE — People submit applications for rebuilding permits to the town of Paradise and Butte County every day. On Nov. 1, it was Wade and Courtney Petersen’s turn. “It’s just a really exciting moment,” she said as she filled out the paperwork in town hall.…
Fires’ cost is higher for poorer Californians
Fires’ cost is higher for poorer Californians

Victims of wildfires are at risk of losing not only their homes, but their insurance plans as well. Wildfires have ravaged California over the past few weeks. Fire erupted in Jurupa Valley Thursday and already spread across 300 acres. The Kincade Fire in Northern California…
Sonoma County evacuees during Kincade fire eligible for insurance coverage for hotel, meal costs
Sonoma County evacuees during Kincade fire eligible for insurance coverage for hotel, meal costs

Sonoma County residents forced to evacuate because of the Kincade fire could be reimbursed for their expenses while away from home by their homeowner insurance company. The caveat is that those policyholders would have to be displaced under a mandatory evacuation order issued by Sonoma…
Woolsey fire report faults staffing and coordination
Woolsey fire report faults staffing and coordination

County review points to firefighter shortage, planning shortcomings and the need for residents to be ready. Emergency management officials were unprepared for massive evacuations before the most destructive fire in Los Angeles County history, causing chaos and calls for mutual aid that were not provided…
Right on the Money: Stats show your home is probably under-insured
Right on the Money: Stats show your home is probably under-insured

If you weren’t directly hit by the October tornadoes, they are a reminder to update your insurance coverage. Most homeowners are under-insured — and don’t know it DALLAS — In recent days we have seen the maps with arrows crisscrossing the Dallas area, showing where…
There’s a quake every three minutes in California – here’s why we still don’t buy quake insurance
There’s a quake every three minutes in California – here’s why we still don’t buy quake insurance

ORINDA, Calif. KGO) — Scientists tell us earthquakes strike every three minutes in California — though most of them are so weak we can’t feel them, enough are so big we can’t forget them. So, does living through a quake drive us to buy earthquake…
Homeowner, renters’ insurance likely won’t cover PG&E power outage losses
Homeowner, renters’ insurance likely won’t cover PG&E power outage losses

SAN FRANCISCO KGO) — Although people had a couple of days to plan for the power shutoffs, losses were inevitable. So who’s responsible to pay for that? Unfortunately, it’s the PG&E customers who are stuck with the bill. What makes this situation different than any…
6 ways to dramatically lower your home insurance costs
6 ways to dramatically lower your home insurance costs

The cost of homeowners insurance is one of those unavoidable expenses that comes along with owning a house. How much you’ll pay for insurance varies depending on your location and the age of your home, but the average annual homeowners insurance premium is $1,200. That…
On 2nd anniversary of Tubbs Fire, only 10% of homes are rebuilt
On 2nd anniversary of Tubbs Fire, only 10% of homes are rebuilt

SANTA ROSA, Calif. KTVU) – With only bout 10% of Santa Rosa homes rebuilt from the 2017 Tubbs fire, the second anniversary of the fire will cause a turn for the worse in many victim’s finances. On Tuesday, many folks waiting to complete or rebuild…