Guest Blog: Fire resistant structures from the ground up, a technology making inroads in disaster affected areas
Guest Blog: Fire resistant structures from the ground up, a technology making inroads in disaster affected areas

by Charles Brooks, Executive Director, Rebuild Paradise Greetings from Paradise, CA! I must first preface this post, by saying we do not specifically endorse any product, technology, home builder, or any service provider.  It is your responsibility to thoroughly research, vet and understand the products…
Insurance Commissioner to Investigate Key Wildfire Insurance Issues Under Legislation Headed to Senate Floor, says Consumer Watchdog
Insurance Commissioner to Investigate Key Wildfire Insurance Issues Under Legislation Headed to Senate Floor, says Consumer Watchdog

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara would investigate and develop solutions to ensure affordable, accessible insurance for homeowners in wildfire areas and report back to the legislature, under amendments to AB 2167 adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday.…
Join UP in opposing AB 2167
Join UP in opposing AB 2167

Californians are experiencing a challenging insurance marketplace and there are two bills we are watching that could make the affordability crisis worse.   We are talking about AB 2167 and its companion SB 292.  We OPPOSE these two bills and hope you will join us by writing to your…
UP joins the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
UP joins the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud

United Policyholders is pleased to join the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.  The Coalition is a unique alliance of stakeholders with a shared objective of combating insurance fraud.  Insurance fraud is committed by people submitting false or inflated claims and insurance company reps that engage in deceptive…
CA high court upholds right to paid-for business insurance protection
CA high court upholds right to paid-for business insurance protection

In a time when U.S. businesses are turning to courts across the U.S. to enforce their rights to insurance protection for COVID-19 losses, the CA Supreme Court delivered them a win this week in a long-simmering, high stakes battle over coverage in a different context…
Working to keep the HOME in home insurance
Working to keep the HOME in home insurance

Consumers buy home insurance where legally required AND for the peace of mind of knowing that if adversity strikes, the policy will generate money to deal with whatever that adversity is.  They don’t sit around thinking up doomsday scenarios of every possible event that could damage or…
California Insurance Commissioner Says Renew California Bill Would Create an Insurance Guarantee to Harden Homes Against Wildfire
California Insurance Commissioner Says Renew California Bill Would Create an Insurance Guarantee to Harden Homes Against Wildfire

Requiring insurance companies to write and renew homeowner insurance policies for hardened homes and communities that meet statewide standard. February 19, 2020 – SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yesterday, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez D-San Diego), Assemblywoman Monique Limón D-Santa Barbara), Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and United Policyholders introduced…
Legislation Designed To Forge Community, Insurance Partnership
Legislation Designed To Forge Community, Insurance Partnership

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez D-San Diego), Assemblywoman Monique Limón D-Santa Barbara), Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and United Policyholders on Tuesday introduced legislation to give insurance companies a greater role in protecting communities from devastating wildfires. Renew California AB 2367) would require insurance companies to write or…
What’s a wildfire score? Do you know yours?
What’s a wildfire score? Do you know yours?

SAN FRANCISCO KGO) — Recent firestorms have increased the profile of wildfire modeling companies, firms that rate homes by their likelihood to burn. Most California homes have a wildfire score, but about the only homeowners who know they have one are those who have been…
Renew California’ bill seeks to ease wildfire-fueled homeowners insurance crisis
Renew California’ bill seeks to ease wildfire-fueled homeowners insurance crisis

Insurance companies have been dropping coverage for homeowners living in fire-prone areas, leaving them unprotected at best and unable to keep their homes at worst. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A wildfire-related crisis facing counties all over the state could have one solution in sight. As the…
The cost of fire insurance across California is rising at a frightening pace if you can get it at all
The cost of fire insurance across California is rising at a frightening pace if you can get it at all

Homeowners are finding their insurance premiums outpacing their incomes, if they can find insurance at all. Who is responsible for the crisis? AUBURN, Calif. — A crisis has been building in the foothills of the Sierra and other fire-prone communities in California. It’s related to…
Do you know your home’s wildfire risk score? Your insurance company does
Do you know your home’s wildfire risk score? Your insurance company does

Do you know your wildfire risk score? Most people know they have credit scores that help determine whether they get a loan and what their interest rate will be. They probably don’t know that if they live in the West, they have a wildfire risk…
How Climate Prediction Tech is Reshaping the Insurance Industry
How Climate Prediction Tech is Reshaping the Insurance Industry

Nevada County sits in the Sierra foothills in the heart of Gold Country. Narrow roads snake through towering old-growth pine trees and cedars. Cal Fire has designated the county seat, Nevada City, and nearby Grass Valley as “very high fire hazard severity zones.” Right in…
Wildfires Likely to Boost California Surplus Lines Homeowners Share; FAIR Plan Expansion Questioned
Wildfires Likely to Boost California Surplus Lines Homeowners Share; FAIR Plan Expansion Questioned

Wildfires Likely to Boost California Surplus Lines Homeowners Share; FAIR Plan Expansion Questioned Premium volume from homeowners polices written by California’s surplus lines industry, although still small, has doubled over the past four years, seemingly pushed by an increase in wildfires in the state. Some…
WRAP UP: The Wildfire Risk Reduction and Asset Protection Project
WRAP UP: The Wildfire Risk Reduction and Asset Protection Project

Above, R to L:  After his insurer threatened to drop him, a Moraga, CA homeowner contacted his local Fire Dept. for help. UP’s Amy Bach rode along with local fire officials as they inspected and prescribed steps to reduce risk and retain his coverage.  If…
Nearly 350,000 California Homeowners in Fire Prone Areas Dropped by Insurers
Nearly 350,000 California Homeowners in Fire Prone Areas Dropped by Insurers

Click Here to Listen to Amy Bach on KQED Forum 8/26/19 Between 2015 and 2018, insurance companies dropped nearly 350,000 California homeowners in high-risk fire areas. This insurance coverage data, recently released by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s office, does not reflect how many people…
UP presentation to state regulators on Disasters and Insurance – Marketplace Gaps and Fillers
UP presentation to state regulators on Disasters and Insurance – Marketplace Gaps and Fillers

In this Power Point, UP Co-Founder Amy Bach and Professor Peter Kochenburger, (U.Conn Law) presented points to state regulators on the topic of insurance gaps that surface after disasters, and products to fill those gaps that may or should be available in the marketplace. November,…
A dark cloud over the Sunshine State
A dark cloud over the Sunshine State

UP weighed in today with a letter to Florida state lawmakers to urge their no votes on three bills that will gut policyholder protections in that state if enacted as written.  House Bill 301, Senate Bill 714,  House Bill 751. Honorable Florida lawmakers: Our non-profit…