State Farm dropping California policyholders
State Farm dropping California policyholders

Is it home break-ins? Wildfires? Why is State Farm planning to not renew some 30,000 homeowners and 42,000 commercial apartment policies starting this summer in both Northern and Southern California? “It’s an outrage that State Farm is dumping so many customers that have paid their…
State Farm to discontinue 72,000 California home policies due to “financial health”
State Farm to discontinue 72,000 California home policies due to “financial health”

Some State Farm customers will have to look elsewhere for insurance, after the state’s biggest insurer announced it would be discontinuing 72,000 policies this year. According to the announcement this week, 30,000 homeowner policies will not be renewed. They will also be withdrawing from offering…
‘In deep doo-doo’: Policyholders left scrambling as state’s largest home insurer retreats
‘In deep doo-doo’: Policyholders left scrambling as state’s largest home insurer retreats

This week, with little forewarning, more than 70,000 State Farm policyholders in California were unceremoniously informed that their insurance policies would not be renewed. Via a thin boilerplate letter, the state’s largest insurer gave little in the way of details to some 30,000 residential customers…
Rising insurance costs are making homeownership even more expensive
Rising insurance costs are making homeownership even more expensive

As homeowners in Vero Beach, Florida, Marie and Jack Zuzack have had their share of insurance problems. She’s a retired city planner; he worked in biotech research. They own an older home that’s more vulnerable to hurricanes than modern buildings, and two years ago, after…
State Farm dropping 72,000 California home, apartment insurance policies
State Farm dropping 72,000 California home, apartment insurance policies

The Illinois-based company is one of several carriers that in the past two years have back off of or walked away from property insurance coverage in the Golden State. Windsor resident Julie Tyler is among the latest round of policyholders who was forced to find…
State Farm will not renew thousands of California insurance policies over the next year
State Farm will not renew thousands of California insurance policies over the next year

State Farm plans to continue scaling back on what it offers to policyholders in California. That includes homeowner and rental dwelling policies. (Previous coverage in video player above: Consumer advocates say other insurance companies can help after State Farm won’t take on new policies for…
California proposes rule that would change how insurers assess wildfire risk
California proposes rule that would change how insurers assess wildfire risk

Insurance companies in California currently use historical data to assess wildfire risk. A proposal would allow them to use catastrophe modeling instead. Read more.
Cost of homeowner’s insurance going way up for some in California
Cost of homeowner’s insurance going way up for some in California

Owning a home in San Diego County can be a dream come true for those who can afford it. But the dream is becoming increasingly more expensive, and that’s if you can even get insurance. The California Department of Insurance said 7 out of the12…
What Does “Surface Water” Mean? NAPIA Files an Amicus Brief in a Legal Fight Over Its Meaning
What Does “Surface Water” Mean? NAPIA Files an Amicus Brief in a Legal Fight Over Its Meaning

The term “surface water” generally refers to water that accumulates on the ground’s surface in a diffuse manner, typically resulting from precipitation (rain or snow) that does not flow within a defined channel or watercourse. This definition is crucial in understanding coverage limitations and exclusions…
CALL KURTIS Call Kurtis Investigates: Escrow disaster leaves Antelope mom without full insurance after house fire
CALL KURTIS Call Kurtis Investigates: Escrow disaster leaves Antelope mom without full insurance after house fire

Theresa Ingraham paid for her homeowners insurance each month through her mortgage payment but learned that after her house fire, her AAA bill went unpaid. The mom of three is a fire dispatcher and overheard the call to fight the fire at her own home.…
Amicus Curiae Argues In Support Of Drug Distributor In Opioid Coverage Dispute
Amicus Curiae Argues In Support Of Drug Distributor In Opioid Coverage Dispute

Mealey’s (March 6, 2024, 8:37 AM EST) — SAN FRANCISCO — United Policyholders (UP) filed an amicus curiae brief in … Read more.
An acre of land with an abandoned house: Time to call insurance agents
An acre of land with an abandoned house: Time to call insurance agents

Question: We want to build a house. There is a Bay Area lot for sale in our area. It is an acre. It is close to town. There is natural gas connected. However, it is in a high-fire designated area. Plus, the roads are narrow.…
He claims to have saved California homeowners billions. The insurance industry hates him
He claims to have saved California homeowners billions. The insurance industry hates him

Insurance industry groups have called it a “bomb-throwing bogus advocacy” group, a “publicity-seeking, dark money front,” and an organization out to protect its own “financial $elf-interest$.” These are the kinds of attacks that Harvey Rosenfield and Consumer Watchdog, the advocacy group he founded nearly 40…
New images reveal more damage to historic Bisbee hotel than first reported
New images reveal more damage to historic Bisbee hotel than first reported

The owner of the historic Letson Loft Hotel has shown News 4 Tucson new pictures to show how bad the damage was from the Valentine’s Day blaze. Before News 4 Tucson met up with Tom Firth on Feb. 15, his Letson Loft Hotel was nothing…
Local expert addresses hot topic of home insurance availability
Local expert addresses hot topic of home insurance availability

The Via Farallon La Cuesta Firewise group hosted a Zoom meeting, open to the public, on Feb. 22, so that local residents could hear from a local insurance expert about the problem of home insurance nonrenewals. Joel Laucher, a Moraga resident who worked for the…
United Policyholders: February 2022 Events
United Policyholders: February 2022 Events

United Policyholders (UP) is offering a Roadmap to Recovery® Q&A workshop in February for survivors of wildfires in California. You can submit your questions in advance and UP will address them during the webinar. UP will also have two Survivor to Survivor Forums scheduled for…
California Legislature OKs Annuity Sales Rule Update
California Legislature OKs Annuity Sales Rule Update

The California Senate voted 37-0 earlier this week to give final legislative approval to Senate Bill 263, California’s version of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners annuity sales standards model. The bill would update California’s existing annuity suitability rules and require annuity sellers to act…
Coalition of Consumer and Senior Groups Urges Governor Newsom to Veto SB 263
Coalition of Consumer and Senior Groups Urges Governor Newsom to Veto SB 263

SB 263 Harms Consumers and Undermines Vital Regulations Sacramento, California–(Newsfile Corp. – February 23, 2024) – A coalition of consumer and senior groups has sent a letter urging Governor Gavin Newsom to veto SB 263. Senator Bill Dodd’s (D – Napa) Senate Bill 263, sponsored…