June 30, 2014 It’s worth boning up on homeowner insurance Mention the word insurance, even to people who pay attention to other consumer topics, and you’re likely to draw yawns. Trust me on that – it’s just the nature of the beast. After more than a dozen years of writing about everything from airfares to…
June 30, 2014 Not Gone With the Wind: Protecting Your Belongings in Tornado-Prone Areas Think your belongings will be protected during a tornado just because they’re locked up in a self-storage unit? Few buildings can withstand the 200 mph winds of an F4 tornado, but even lower-category tornado blasts can twist off roofs and blow your stuff around in…
June 16, 2014 Look for loopholes in insurance policies before bad luck strikes Hurricane season is starting slowly, and weather forecasters predict that El Niño may help spare us this year. But as Hurricane Sandy reminded our region, you never can predict when you’ll be in bad luck’s bull’s-eye. So it’s a good time to consider how to…
May 20, 2014 Karen Reimus speaking UP for San Diego fire victims Fire Victims’ Insurance Policy May Not Cover Everything
May 15, 2014 San Diego fires prompt UP Special Alert UP Special Alert: Returning to your home after a wildfire If your home is close to a wildfire area and you’re returning to it after an evacuation order has been lifted, here is a checklist of things to consider: Visit the UP Claim Help library…
May 8, 2014 Flood insurance: Make sure you are covered After devastating the East Coast and causing an estimated $20 billion in property damage, a storm like Sandy should serve as a reminder to homeowners everywhere — and especially those near the coasts — to make sure they have the right kind of coverage in…
May 7, 2014 United Policyholders has been with us through three disasters: Lean on me Leigh Candelas was one of the lucky ones. When the Black Forest Fire consumed much of her neighborhood last summer, her house survived. But the situation wasn’t as rosy as it appeared. There was significant damage to her home, and after her insurance company paid…
May 6, 2014 Want to fire your insurance agent? Is it time to fire your insurance agent or broker? “If they’re not serving you, helping you and giving you good guidance, you should break up with them,” says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a San Francisco-based insurance consumer advocacy group. But while…
May 6, 2014 Want to fire your insurance agent? Here’s how Is it time to fire your insurance agent or broker? “If they’re not serving you, helping you and giving you good guidance, you should break up with them,” says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a San Francisco-based insurance consumer advocacy group. But while…
April 29, 2014 Catastrophe insurance Protections are available for local consumers in wake of floods, fires One draw of Colorado living, some would say, is the endless variety. The suburbs, the city, the country, the mountains and the plains; living here means there’s something for nearly everybody. But living in…
April 29, 2014 Pay fees to help insure workers? ‘OK,’ say most Highlights: 51 percent of Americans ages 50-64 want to see the law kept in place, compared to just 41 percent of younger adults. 78 percent of Republicans say the law should be repealed, versus just 14 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of those who…
April 16, 2014 The money doesn’t pour in for Manitou business owners seeking insurance payouts Though the mud and debris from last summer’s floods was long ago cleared from the streets of Manitou Springs, business owners say they’ve been left with a financial mess instead. Just ask Chuck Murphy, owner of the Spa Building, best known as the home of…
April 7, 2014 Black Forest Residents Still Healing, Rebuilding Ten months after the most destructive wildfire in state history, residents of Black Forest have made significant headway in the rebuilding process. Today, areas where charred remains once stood are now dozens of brand new homes at various stages of construction. One hundred and forty-two…
April 7, 2014 Calling your health insurer? Prepare to hold “All of our representatives are currently assisting other callers. Please remain on the line and the next available representative will assist you.” When Liz Scherer tried to confirm her enrollment in a new health insurance plan after her old policy was canceled under the Affordable…
March 31, 2014 Roadmap to Recovery Workshop in Colorado Springs The United Policyholders, a nonprofit consumer group, will hold another of its “Roadmap to Recovery” workshops Thursday to help those who lost property in the Black Forest and Waldo Canyon fires and 2013 floods. The free workshop, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Woodmen…
March 28, 2014 3 Tax Prep Tips for Natural Disasters Were you the victim of a tornado, flood, fire, hurricane or other natural disaster last year? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, there were 62 declared disasters across the U.S. last year. Aside from direct relief from Uncle Sam usually via FEMA), there are…
March 20, 2014 ConsumerWatch: Is Earthquake Insurance Worth It? Despite the risk of earthquakes, an estimated 10 percent of California homeowners have earthquake insurance. KPIX 5 ConsumerWatch asks if the state’s earthquake insurance fund is healthy. Julie Watts reports.
