August 30, 2017 Forbes Op-Ed: Insurance Isn’t Going to Help Harvey Victims Once again, a storm has devastated a region and broken records. Hurricane Harvey dropped so much rain on Texas, the National Weather Service had to add new colors to its map graphics. Where will the money come from to repair the damage? We know it…
August 28, 2017 Basic Storm Stats – Texas Hurricane Harvey Dates of the hurricane: Incident Period: August 23-September 15, 2017 Major Disaster Declaration: August 25, 2017 Wind speed: 130mph (Category 4) at landfall in Rockport, Texas Peak rainfall:[1] 40-61 inches 51.88 inches fell in Cedar Bayou in less than five days Affected…
August 25, 2017 Be Prepared to Push Insurance Companies for Fair Treatment After Hurricane Harvey, UP Advises United Policyholders Offers Texans Free Home Inventory App, Provides Guidance to Residents for Before and After the Storm As Gulf Coast communities brace for Hurricane Harvey, the national insurance consumer non-profit United Policyholders UP) has a special message for Texans: “Be prepared to push for…
August 9, 2017 FEMA extends deadline for Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended the deadline for policyholders to respond to its offers under the Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review process. Lack of responses Last month, FEMA sent out a letter notifying policyholders, many of whom had been offered money…
June 29, 2017 New York Regulator Seeks Details From Life Insurers Using Algorithms to Issue Policies New York’s top financial regulator is investigating life insurers’ use of big data, complicating the industry’s efforts to boost sales by forgoing medical examinations in favor of algorithms for sizing up risk. New York’s top financial regulator is investigating life insurers’ use of big data,…
June 22, 2017 Guest Blog: United Policyholders Amicus Project Scores Victory For Texas Homeowners and Businesses The availability of insurance coverage for loss or damage can hinge on the smallest details. Did your insurer record that it received your notice letter? Did your insurer’s investigator take note of those small but critical facts you pointed out during the investigation? Did you…
June 22, 2017 House Committee Adds 5 More Bills to Its Flood Insurance Reform Package The House Financial Services Committee advanced five flood insurance proposals on Wednesday, adding to the two bills it passed last week. The House measures seek to reform and reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is set to expire on September 30, for five…
June 18, 2017 House Committee Advances 2 Flood Insurance Bills; More to Come The House Financial Services Committee on Thursday passed two bills to reform the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). One is a broad reform proposal that seeks to encourage more private insurance and move the program toward actuarial-based rates, while the other addresses premium credits for…
June 12, 2017 Will private insurers rescue leaking flood insurance program – or drown it? Privatizing federal programs is a mantra of President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress. The National Flood Insurance Program NFIP) — up for renewal at the end of September — is a perfect target. Already in debt to the tune of $25 billion, plagued by scandals,…
June 4, 2017 The Ultimate Guide to Home Insurance for Dog Owners Shopping for home insurance can be a challenge if you have a dog–especially if its breed is seen as dangerous. This guide will help you get a policy and affordable rate) regardless. Sixty-five percent of US households have a pet, according to the 2015-2016 National…
June 1, 2017 The “Catch UP” webinar series: Successfully mediating insurance cases The fourth installment of Catch UP was a success! Catch UP on how to successfully mediate insurance cases. Registration fees support our non-profit’s important work empowering the insured. A recording of the webinar is available for purchase at www.uphelp.org/catchup. The one-hour long segment of Catch UP, hosted…
June 1, 2017 Tried and true may be best for you Does the idea of skipping the traditional blood and urine test to buy life insurance appeal to you? Some life insurers are using “big data” tools to size you up and price your policy instead of tried and true underwriting based on medical tests. The…
May 13, 2017 This family lost everything in one of California’s worst wildfires. Now, they’re almost home COBB MOUNTAIN The wooded path between Maya Leonard’s house and the elementary school where she is a sixth-grader remains scarred and blackened, a reminder of the epic wildfire that stole so much from this community on a September afternoon in 2015. But as she has…
May 4, 2017 Why Poor Credit Can Triple Your Homeowners Insurance It’s no secret that credit scores play an increasingly important role in our financial lives, determining everything from whether we qualify for a mortgage to what interest rate we’ll get on a new credit card. What still may surprise some, however, is how significant credit…
May 1, 2017 Gardening and Hardening We think your insurance company should help and reward you for taking steps to make your property less likely to be damaged or destroyed in a wildfire. We are working hard to make that happen. This is the official start of wildfire season, and now…
April 20, 2017 Delaware Ranks High Among States for Homeowners’ Insurance Protections Dover, DE – Delaware homeowners are among the most protected in the nation against having their homeowners insurance non-renewed or rates raised due to filing or even inquiring about a claim. This is according to a recent study by the Rutgers Center for Risk and…
April 20, 2017 How your selfie could affect your life insurance A selfie reveals more than whether it’s a good hair day. Facial lines and contours, droops and dark spots could indicate how well you’re aging, and, when paired with other data, could someday help determine whether you qualify for life insurance. “Your face is something…
April 12, 2017 Flood insurance premiums need to rise by 25% per year The National Flood Insurance Program NFIP) is buckling under the weight of a $25 billion debt, so something’s got to give. For some policyholders, this could mean as much as 25% increases in the rate they pay for coverage every year. In Mississippi, anecdotal evidence…