Oakridge park fire victims fight AIG and win with state’s help
Oakridge park fire victims fight AIG and win with state’s help

SYLMAR – Oakridge resident Joanne Nadeau, who lost her mobile home in November’s Sayre Fire, can now rebuild thanks to additional money secured by the state’s Department of Insurance. Instead of getting $165,000 from her AIG insurance policy, Nadeau will receive nearly $300,000. “Now I…
Policyholders limited in how low they can go with contents coverage
Policyholders limited in how low they can go with contents coverage

Keith Brannon has been living a minimalist’s life since Hurricane Katrina. Like many New Orleanians, Brannon dragged the entire contents of his house to the curb when his Broadmoor-Fontainebleau area home flooded and moldered in the storm. He has replaced only the bare essentials. “We…
State Negotiates Deal for Sayre Fire Victims
State Negotiates Deal for Sayre Fire Victims

Mobile home owners whose properties were destroyed by the 2008 Sayre Fire and who were insured by AIG will receive as much as an extra $125,000 from their policy under an agreement announced today by the state insurance commissioner. The Sylmar-area fire destroyed 485 mobile…
Suing for Benefits: A Dilemma for the Disabled
Suing for Benefits: A Dilemma for the Disabled

Will your disability insurance cover you if you become ill and unable to work? Many advocates say probably not. People like Melinda Carstens say they found out how difficult it can be to try to fight an insurance company over their disability payments. Carstens said…
Sylmar’s Sayre Fire Survivors Get Just Rewards from AIG
Sylmar’s Sayre Fire Survivors Get Just Rewards from AIG

Outstanding! The settlement reached this week by the California Department of Insurance and AIG provides additional insurance coverage to Sylmar wildfire survivors who lost their homes in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park last November. News reports say the CDI/AIG settlement amount is reportedly between $37…
UP named among 100 most useful money websites
UP named among 100 most useful money websites

Here are my favorite Internet destinations that deal with money. All are worth bookmarking. But I’d like your help in discovering other cool sites. I love stumbling across insanely useful new Web sites. I’ve highlighted some in my columns and blog posts, but there always…
Appeal would reveal claims denied
Appeal would reveal claims denied

A Coast policyholder is appealing to the state Supreme Court for access to Mississippi Insurance Department records that would show the dollar amount of Katrina claims denied by insurance companies. Long Beach policyholder Kevin Buckel filed a written request in January 2009 for records showing…
Post fire claim advice: After the fire comes the adjuster
Post fire claim advice: After the fire comes the adjuster

In July, when fire tore through the Northwest mansion belonging to local activist and arts patron Peggy Cooper Cafritz, it set off what is likely to be a long journey toward rebuilding. Facing total loss, Cafritz hired a public insurance adjuster to estimate the dollar…
California homeowners facing insurance rate hikes
California homeowners facing insurance rate hikes

In a state parched by a three-year drought, wildfires are at least partly to blame for the price increases, industry officials and even some consumer advocates agree. Reporting from Sacramento – As California heads into another season of wildfires that have been growing more frequent…
Most homes still underinsured for hurricanes
Most homes still underinsured for hurricanes

MSB, the leading provider of building cost data to the property insurance industry just released its findings for current estimates of homeowner insurance coverage across the United States MSB’s research reveals an estimated 64 percent of U.S. homes are undervalued for the purpose of insurance…
Press Release: United Policyholders Urges Homeowners to Reconsider Earthquake Insurance After 7.2 Temblor Shakes Mexico and San Diego
Press Release: United Policyholders Urges Homeowners to Reconsider Earthquake Insurance After 7.2 Temblor Shakes Mexico and San Diego

Consumer Group Supports Federal Legislation to Lower Cost of EQ Insurance For Immediate Release: SAN DIEGO – April 6, 2010- Sunday’s magnitude 7.2 earthquake, just 40 miles south of the USA-Mexico border, is a reminder to all Californians that the next big quake could happen…
Is Green Insurance Worth the Price?
Is Green Insurance Worth the Price?

Insurers are increasingly offering insurance discounts if you already own an environmentally friendly home or car as well as additions to standard policies that cover the costs of going green when renovating after a loss. According to the Insurance Information Institute, as of last December,…
Hurricane Headache – Insurance Costs Keep Climbing
Hurricane Headache – Insurance Costs Keep Climbing

MOBILE, Ala. WALA) – If you own a home along the Gulf Coast, you learn to dread hurricane season. You worry about damage to your home and the damage to your wallet caused by ever increasing insurance rates. The problem is getting so bad, some…
Short Cuts: The Peace of Mind of Home Insurance, Unless You Use It
Short Cuts: The Peace of Mind of Home Insurance, Unless You Use It

There is a saying among consumer advocates regarding homeowner’s insurance: “Use it and lose it.” It is not a phrase that insurance companies are particularly fond of. But it sums up how all too many people feel about their homeowner’s insurance: if you decide to…
What to look for in homeowners insurance
What to look for in homeowners insurance

NEW YORK CNN/Money) – Our homes are more than valuable assets. They’re safe havens, and protecting them with insurance is a must. How well you do that depends on the details of your policy. Here’s what to look for: Make sure you can rebuild The…
THE SOUTHLAND FIRESTORM : Tallying the Losses : Insurers Attempt to Make Amends for Criticism in Oakland Disaster
THE SOUTHLAND FIRESTORM : Tallying the Losses : Insurers Attempt to Make Amends for Criticism in Oakland Disaster

In the Oakland firestorm of October, 1991, the insurance industry’s reputation was blackened along with the hillsides. The industry–excoriated for insensitivity and foot-dragging in its claims handling in Oakland–is determined not to repeat its mistakes this time around. Consumer activists and regulators are watching closely…