Webinar: Briefing on the Current Home Insurance Market in California
Webinar: Briefing on the Current Home Insurance Market in California

BUTTE COUNTY AND CONSUMER GROUP TO HOST A BRIEFING ON THE CURRENT HOME INSURANCE MARKET IN CALIFORNIA Oroville, Calif.— On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the County of Butte and the consumer non-profit United Policyholders (UP) will co-host a countywide webinar for California homeowners on the…
Press Release: Rural Representatives and Consumer Group partner to address California’s regional home insurance crisis
Press Release: Rural Representatives and Consumer Group partner to address California’s regional home insurance crisis

        Rural Representatives and Consumer Group partner to address California’s regional home insurance crisis For Immediate Release: July 26th, 2023 Contact: Amy Bach, Executive Director, media@uphelp.org SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2023 – To assist the thousands of California residents in rural and…
California Home Insurance FAQs
California Home Insurance FAQs

The home insurance situation remains very challenging in California, there’s no sugar-coating it. The one bright spot in the recent announcements by three leading insurers that they will no longer sell new policies is that none of them are leaving the state or wide-scale dropping…
Wildfire Season is Here – Get Prepared!
Wildfire Season is Here – Get Prepared!

Summertime and the living is easy…except that wildfire season’s starting and the leading insurer just announced they’re not selling new policies in California. UP has been busier than ever getting useful tips out to residents of wildfire-vulnerable regions on reducing risk, being prepared and keeping…
As Fire Season Approaches, CA Homeowners Face Insurance Woes
As Fire Season Approaches, CA Homeowners Face Insurance Woes

As major companies stop selling new policies in the Golden State, rates are rising sparking fears of an insurance market collapse. The recent decision by the California Department of Insurance to allow Allstate to raise insurance rates for California homeowners is adding to insurance woes…
UC ANR: How Can We Navigate Changes in the California Home Insurance Market Due to Wildfires?
UC ANR: How Can We Navigate Changes in the California Home Insurance Market Due to Wildfires?

A wildfire shockwave recently hit California. Maybe you missed it. While there were no large wildfires threatening homes, and the air wasn’t thick with smoke like in the Northeast from the wildfires in Canada, a shockwave did hit. State Farm, California’s largest home insurance company,…
Preparing your home for wildfire season? Here’s what you need to know
Preparing your home for wildfire season? Here’s what you need to know

As a relative newcomer to the North Bay, I’ll admit I didn’t know much about how to best protect my home from wildfires. But, experts tell me there are many misconceptions even among those who are more seasoned, informed and have lived through the trauma…
It’s getting harder and more expensive to insure your California home. What can you do?
It’s getting harder and more expensive to insure your California home. What can you do?

Consumer advocate shares homeowners insurance tips as wildfires make policies harder to get, more expensive Californians are finding it harder and more expensive to insure their homes in the wake of devastating wildfires across the state in recent years. Premiums are rising sharply, even with…
BACH TALK: Consumers need help (with shrinking property insurance affordability and availability)
BACH TALK: Consumers need help (with shrinking property insurance affordability and availability)

Americans today in hurricane, flood and wildfire prone regions (particularly in areas where there have been recent disasters) are paying much higher premiums and having a very hard time finding affordable property insurance options.  This is a national phenomenon that United Policyholders has been helping…
Climate disasters make it harder to insure your home. Here’s what to know.
Climate disasters make it harder to insure your home. Here’s what to know.

Premiums are soaring and carriers are pulling back coverage, citing disaster risks. Climate change is a big factor, but there are others at play. Homeowners are bracing for hurricane and fire seasons, but with insurance premiums rising and carriers pulling back coverage in riskier states,…
Allstate becomes the second home insurer to pull out of California
Allstate becomes the second home insurer to pull out of California

State Farm announced a similar decision last week The question must now be asked. Will California homeowners be able to buy insurance coverage for their homes? Allstate has become the second major insurance company to announce it will stop writing homeowners insurance policies in the…
UP alerts CA legislators to proceed with caution on insurers’ wish list
UP alerts CA legislators to proceed with caution on insurers’ wish list

California consumers have long enjoyed the benefits of property insurance premium savings thanks to the voter-enacted Proposition 103 rate regulation regime, and insurers have long decried that regime. United Policyholders generally focuses on helping consumers get treated fairly by insurers, avoid and solve coverage gaps,…
Marin lawmaker aims to protect home insurance for seniors in fire-prone areas
Marin lawmaker aims to protect home insurance for seniors in fire-prone areas

A bill introduced by Assemblymember Damon Connolly of San Rafael would prohibit home insurance providers from dropping coverage for seniors living in high fire-risk areas and would cap premium hikes. The bill, AB 478, would forbid insurance providers from dropping policies for residents 65 and…
Tis the Season to Get Prepared
Tis the Season to Get Prepared

Need a last minute holiday gift? Give the people you love peace of mind by helping them be financially resilient and prepared. This Give Peace of Mind Gift Catalog is full of free tips to help spark important discussions and actions around disaster preparedness. Whether you are traveling…
Home insurance availability, affordability AND quality is shrinking: States and the Feds must coordinate and take action to protect homeownership in the US
Home insurance availability, affordability AND quality is shrinking: States and the Feds must coordinate and take action to protect homeownership in the US

  We support the Federal Insurance Office in their efforts to gather national data to get a clear picture of how insurers are adapting their operations in response to climate change, and how their actions are impacting property insurance affordability and availability across the nation. …
Scary insurance premiums…what to do?
Scary insurance premiums…what to do?

Home and business insurance premiums in hurricane and wildfire prone regions have jumped to scary levels…Those who can’t afford the increases are increasingly “going bare” if they own their homes outright. Those with mortgages are going deeper into debt to pay for mandated insurance. Bundling…
California looks to lower insurance costs with new wildfire regulations
California looks to lower insurance costs with new wildfire regulations

California has introduced new wildfire safety regulation to help drive down cost of insurance by recognizing and rewarding wildfire safety and mitigation efforts made by homeowners and businesses. Insurance Commission Ricardo Lara’s regulation will require insurance companies to submit new rates that recognize the benefit…
State enforces nation’s first wildfire safety regulation to help drive down cost of insurance
State enforces nation’s first wildfire safety regulation to help drive down cost of insurance

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said he will enforce the new insurance pricing regulation he wrote recognizing and rewarding wildfire safety and mitigation efforts made by homeowners and businesses. Commissioner Lara’s regulation is the first in the nation requiring insurance companies to provide discounts to consumers…