Storm of Money: Small insurance reform groups along U.S. coast take on industry Goliaths
Storm of Money: Small insurance reform groups along U.S. coast take on industry Goliaths

Six years ago, a group of church volunteers in Gulf Shores, Ala., went door to door to “find out where the pain was,” said Michelle Kurtz, one of the leaders. They heard stories about drainage problems and drugs, but to their surprise, one concern generated…
The dangers of letting your life insurance lapse
The dangers of letting your life insurance lapse

It’s one of the life insurance industry’s best-kept secrets – a great number of life insurance policies in the U.S. tend to lapse, meaning the coverage runs out and is not available if you die. Some studies claim as many as 80 percent of policies…
Rhode Island, Connecticut Issue Cat Reporting Updates
Rhode Island, Connecticut Issue Cat Reporting Updates

The Connecticut and Rhode Island insurance departments have issued requirements for catastrophe claims reporting related to Storm Sandy. Both Departments have specific due dates for the claims data reports. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation also provided information on key regulatory compliance subjects including…
Doubts Raised About NFIP Borrowing Authority Increase
Doubts Raised About NFIP Borrowing Authority Increase

BY ARTHUR D. POSTAL, PROPERTYCASUALTY360.COM The fate of what is seen as a needed increase in the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program before year-end is in doubt as Congress breaks until Wednesday. For one thing, as of this morning, opposition in the…
Group says fire survivors need more time
Group says fire survivors need more time

Advocacy group slams proposed CC&R changes for rebuilding after fires A proposed CC&R amendment that would require homeowners in a community in Rancho Bernardo to rebuild their homes within two years of a wildfire is getting criticism, not just from some residents but also from…
After Hurricane Sandy: Preparing Your Home For a Move
After Hurricane Sandy: Preparing Your Home For a Move

After Hurricane Sandy: Preparing Your Home For a Move Written by Mary Davis, Moveboxer.com Hurricane Sandy has swept through the East Coast. People are slowly coming out of their homes to survey damage to their homes, businesses, and cities. For those people who have the…
Maximizing Insurance Recoveries for Sandy Losses – Resources for Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Homeowners
Maximizing Insurance Recoveries for Sandy Losses – Resources for Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Homeowners
New York Law School – Updates for Students From Dean Anthony Crowell Re: Superstorm Sandy
New York Law School – Updates for Students From Dean Anthony Crowell Re: Superstorm Sandy

Updates for Students From Dean Anthony Crowell Dear Students, As New York City and the metropolitan area continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, we hope all of the members of our community and their families are safe and faring well through the disruptions caused by…
Seven Things All Homeowners Should Know About Their Homeowners Insurance
Seven Things All Homeowners Should Know About Their Homeowners Insurance

Superstom Sandy revealed many of the problems homeowners may encounter when navigating the claims process after a natural disaster. Here are some tips from the Consumer Federation of America CFA) and United Policyholders UP) on what consumers should look out for when reviewing their policies:…
Money Heroes: Three Guardians Protecting Consumers’ Finances
Money Heroes: Three Guardians Protecting Consumers’ Finances

Ensuring benefits for policyholders Amy Bach On a crusade since: 1984 Day job: Executive director of United Policyholders Achievement: Advocates for, and assists, insurance customers Why she’s a hero: Representing a New York State agency on an insurance task force in the 1980s, Bach saw…
Driver Protection or Loss of Choice? NY SUM Debate Awaits Approval
Driver Protection or Loss of Choice? NY SUM Debate Awaits Approval

When the New York Legislature passed amendment S. 7787/ A. 10784 in June, there were both cheers and jeers. It’s now the center of a debate between those who believe it’s protection for drivers and others who think it’s a loss of choice for consumers.…
Is your insurance company spying on you?
Is your insurance company spying on you?

In a plugged-in, digitized, 24/7 world, it’s tough to keep your personal information private. So, in this hyper-digital age, just how much does your insurance company really know about you? “A lot more than most consumers realize,” says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders,…
Bach to moderate water damage panel at First Party Claims Conference
Bach to moderate water damage panel at First Party Claims Conference

UP Executive Director Amy Bach will be moderating a panel of experts on water damage claims during the First Party Claims Conference in Rhode Island in October. This unique conference brings together experts from both the policyholder and insurer side and is a great place…
Two UP advisers score an important legal win for disability policyholders
Two UP advisers score an important legal win for disability policyholders

UP advisers and sponsors Daley, Debofsky and Bryant and Pillsbury and Levinson recently scored a victory for disability insurance policyholders in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on the issue of how an annual bonus gets factored in when calculating lost income.
Does your state insurance regulator make the grade?
Does your state insurance regulator make the grade?

When it comes to insurance, every state handles regulation differently, and this plays a significant role in whether a company wants to do business there. That’s why the folks at the nonprofit public policy think tank R Street Institute thought it was important to produce…
U.S. Supreme Court upholds the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act almost entirely
U.S. Supreme Court upholds the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act almost entirely

On June 28th, 2012 the US Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) including its key requirement that all Americans purchase health insurance starting in 2014. This requirement – often referred to as the “individual mandate” will allow…
Health care law saves consumers over $1 billion
Health care law saves consumers over $1 billion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 21, 2012 Health care law saves consumers over $1 billion Health care law provides rebates to more than 12 million consumers Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that 12.8 million Americans will benefit from $1.1 billion…
Roofing Regulation Causes Last Minute Controversy
Roofing Regulation Causes Last Minute Controversy

A bill designed to protect homeowners when hiring a roofing company is on its way to Governor Hickenlooper’s office, but critics are spearheading an effort to get the measure vetoed. Their concern with the bill is the way it could be interpreted. Colorado’s historic hail…