September 6, 2011 Rising from the ashes – One year later, Fourmile Fire victims share tales of renewal For some victims of the Fourmile Fire that ravaged the hills of western Boulder County the week of Sept. 6, 2010, this has been the “year of the phoenix.” Others are still waiting to rise from the ashes. In honor of the one-year anniversary of…
September 6, 2011 Survey shows Fourmile fire victims severely underinsured Almost one year after the Fourmile Canyon wildfire devastated mountain communities in Boulder County, only 64 percent of victims surveyed have settled their insurance claim, and for many the settlement will not be enough to rebuild their home. Other key findings from respondents include: •…
August 31, 2011 Insurance lawsuits to follow Irene As the water recedes from Hurricane Irene, lawyers are expecting disputes over insurance coverage to pour in. The biggest fights will stem from arguments over property damage and whether it resulted from wind or water, legal experts said. Similar questions arose in the aftermath of…
August 29, 2011 Homeowners insurance regulations take effect New statewide homeowners insurance regulations took effect Monday that, depending upon who you believe, either protect consumers against under being insured or restrict the ability of insurers to enlighten homeowners about their coverage. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced the new regs Monday along with…
August 29, 2011 Insurance commissioner announces new regulations to protect homeowners from being underinsured Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, joined by Amy Bach, Executive Director of United Policyholders, announced on Monday a series of new homeowners regulations aimed at enhancing the standards and training for estimating the replacement value on homeowners’ insurance in the event of a disaster. These new…
August 29, 2011 New rules aim to curb homeowner underinsurance The devastating wildfires of 2007 burned twice for Janice and John Strizver. There was the the initial, horrific loss of their Ramona home consumed by fire. And then came the slow, angry burn on realizing that their insurance payout would fall far short of the…
August 29, 2011 10 tips for filing an insurance claim effectively As Hurricane Irene approached last week, several groups released tips on how to file claims effectively. The Consumer Federation of America, a consortium of more than 300 consumer interest groups and United Policyholders, a non-profit in San Francisco, Calif. funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and…
August 29, 2011 Nonprofit to Hold Workshop to Address Fire Survivors’ Legal, Insurance Questions The workshop will provide tips and emotional support for those still struggling to recover from the Sept. 9 pipeline explosion. As the anniversary of the Sept. 9 pipeline explosion approaches, nonprofit United Policyholders wants to make sure survivors of the fire get all their legal…
August 26, 2011 Hurricane Irene Could Cost Insurers Billions, And Bump Up Your Premium On the heels of an earthquake felt from New England to the Carolina, the East Coast is bracing for Hurricane Irene, which could be a major Category 4 storm with winds upwards of 130 mph. That could mean billions of dollars in property damage that…
August 23, 2011 Unusual Earthquakes Leave Many Wondering: Is My Home Covered? Debbie Saathoff, 62, of Bowie, Md., says she heard a giant cracking sound first. Then the pictures flew off the walls and vases on shelves came tumbling down and smashed as her home moved back and forth. “It was the scariest thing I have been…
August 23, 2011 Does a special academic degree or professional designation make your insurance agent smarter? Electricians, cosmetologists and real estate agents all need to complete months of training and exams before becoming certified in their career fields. Surprisingly, insurance agents can become certified to sell policies after just 40 hours of training. As a result, some insurance professionals may not…
August 22, 2011 Fourmile Canyon Fire firefighter/victim hits roadblock to rebuilding BOULDER COUNTY – On Labor Day morning almost a year ago, Bruce Honeyman was simply reading the paper. About 10 that morning, Honeyman, the chief of the Sunshine Fire Protection District got a call for mutual aid. “[I] came around the corner and saw that…
August 22, 2011 Policyholder complaints after tornadoes show discontent with delays, disputes over damage MOBILE, Alabama — Larry Kidd was getting a little frustrated. His neighbors in Santuck were already making repairs after a tornado hit the Elmore County hamlet on April 27. Kidd was still haggling with Allstate Corp. over how much money he would get to fix…
August 10, 2011 State Officials Unveil New Insurance Regulations Regulations Would Require Companies To Reveal Costs To Replace Homes After Disaster SAN DIEGO — Despite a lawsuit trying to stop it, state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones implemented new regulations requiring insurance companies to reveal the true and complete costs to homeowner who want to…
July 26, 2011 Low-cost car insurance proposed in Michigan Not being able to afford car insurance so you can legally drive to job interviews is a burden for unemployed residents of most states. And without a job, it’s hard to come up with the money for car insurance. In Michigan, state Sen. Virgil Smith…
July 21, 2011 Insurance Commissioner: Time to prepare for wildfires With the advent of fire season, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones visited Rancho Bernardo Thursday to remind locals that they should prepare a home inventory list now. The list, along with doing an annual update of property insurance policies to reflect current rebuilding prices and…
July 21, 2011 Alabama insurance struggles: Disputes from tornadoes begin to gain traction Across tornado-affected areas of Alabama, thousands of property owners are grappling with insurers about how much money they are owed to rebuild. Already, nearly 500 people have contacted the state Insurance Department. State regulators now expect around 90,000 claims because of April’s storms, and even…
July 21, 2011 Baria joins board of consumer group State Sen. David Baria has become the first Gulf Coast representative on the board of United Policyholders, a group that helps consumers nationwide with insurance issues. Baria’s experience as an attorney, policymaker and Hurricane Katrina survivor who lost his Bay St. Louis home will all…
