Shake it UP
Shake it UP

“Out of sight out of mind, and I prefer it that way” is most Californians’ view of earthquakes. But the UP team sees disasters up close and personal and we know how a few simple preparedness steps can make the difference between recovery and ruin.…
Living in wildfire country? Make sure you clear a defensible space and update your insurance
Living in wildfire country? Make sure you clear a defensible space and update your insurance

There’s nothing like a mountain cabin for a great vacation getaway, a retirement home or simply a quiet and beautiful place to live. But the relaxed pace of living and the fresh scent of pine trees come with a risk — the threat of wildfires…
Fire, flood, mud: insurance benefits can vary greatly
Fire, flood, mud: insurance benefits can vary greatly

An estimated 45 percent of people who lost homes or property in the wildfires had no insurance, including almost all the renters. But the rest — in the midst of cleaning up debris, figuring out where they will live, buying new clothes, and coping with…
Live In a Multigenerational Home? Time to Revisit Your Insurance Coverage
Live In a Multigenerational Home? Time to Revisit Your Insurance Coverage

Boomerang kids – adult children moving back in with mom and dad while they save money or search for jobs – aren’t the only ones shacking up in spare bedrooms or basement suites. Rising nursing home costs have also caused many older Americans to move…
Divided opinions over value of earthquake insurance
Divided opinions over value of earthquake insurance

Tom Fuller could tell how well folks understood earthquake insurance once he mentioned that he has a policy for his damaged home in Napa. The uninitiated responded, “Well, you’re lucky.” The more knowledgeable said, “I hope you didn’t hit your deductible.” Fuller, a public relations…
Back home safe and sound
Back home safe and sound

We’ve worked a lot of disasters. But this month a hurricane hit too close to home. While on a well-deserved vacation in Mexico, our Program Coordinator was caught in the path of Hurricane Odile. After being stranded for 5 days without power, running water, cell…
The world’s most common natural disasters by country
The world’s most common natural disasters by country

If nothing else, California’s earthquake is a reminder that nature doesn’t always play nice. Floods, cyclones and the like take a toll everywhere they hit. But just where do these disasters occur the most? According to the International Disaster Database, each country is faced with…
Minneapolis Couple Has Insurance Warning For Homeowners
Minneapolis Couple Has Insurance Warning For Homeowners

A Twin Cities couple calls their experience with an insurance company a lesson that all homeowners should learn. David Hettlinger and his wife are still trying to recover from a storm two summers ago. Wind damaged the roof of their home in southeast Minneapolis, but…
Who Should Have Earthquake Insurance?
Who Should Have Earthquake Insurance?

Listen to the audio online Download audio MP3) Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A passerby stops to look at a collapsed carport following the 6.0 South Napa Earthquake on August 24, 2014. Last weekend’s South Napa Earthquake is a dramatic reminder to Bay Area property owners that…
After Napa Jolt, Quake-Proofing Your Homeowner’s Insurance
After Napa Jolt, Quake-Proofing Your Homeowner’s Insurance

AS Napa County, Calif., recovers from the earthquake that jarred the area last weekend, many homeowners may be wondering whether they should buy special earthquake insurance. “You better believe there’s a lot of people who wish they had it,” said Amy Bach, executive director of…
FEMA Inspectors Make No Aid Guarantees After Assessing Napa Quake Damage
FEMA Inspectors Make No Aid Guarantees After Assessing Napa Quake Damage

A lot of homeowners impacted by Sunday’s earthquake are wondering if they’ll get any federal help rebuilding their homes. Insurers are out in force at the Red Cross Center, but only 10 percent of Californians buy earthquake insurance. On Wednesday, inspectors from FEMA started surveying…
Buying the Right Auto Insurance for Your Teen Driver
Buying the Right Auto Insurance for Your Teen Driver

When parents of a teen first watch their baby take the wheel, they may be too busy seeing the years flash before their eyes to focus on insurance for the family’s newest driver. Putting a new teen driver on the road can be scary —…
Department of Insurance responds to assist residents following Napa quake
Department of Insurance responds to assist residents following Napa quake

News: 2014 Press ReleaseFor Release: August 25, 2014Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566Department of Insurance responds to assist residents following Napa quakeDepartment’s consumer services and enforcement teams on site to assist NAPA, Calif. – The 6.0 earthquake that struck the Napa valley in the pre-dawn hours Sunday,…
Getting a Good Insurance Settlement Takes Time
Getting a Good Insurance Settlement Takes Time

NAPA, Calif. KGO) –Many of the victims of this week’s Napa earthquake are already dealing with their insurance companies. Those that want the best settlement can expect to put in a lot of work. Getting a good settlement with an insurance company can be as…
Napa earthquake insured losses estimated at $2.1B, with wineries taking the biggest hit
Napa earthquake insured losses estimated at $2.1B, with wineries taking the biggest hit

BY MICHAEL B. MAROIS, BLOOMBERG, ZACHARY TRACER, BLOOMBERG, DAN HART, BLOOMBERGThe earthquake that struck northern California yesterday will lead to economic losses of as much as $4 billion, fueled by damaged wineries and shuttered businesses that rely on tourists.Insurers will probably cover about $2.1 billion,…
Insurance Coverage Likely to Get More Respect After the California Earthquake
Insurance Coverage Likely to Get More Respect After the California Earthquake

One of the most predictable aftereffects of a hurricane or earthquake, such as the weekend’s California earthquake, is a spike in interest by homeowners in getting, or improving, their existing insurance coverage. And there is a lot of room for improvement in California, when it…
Should Insurance Companies Be Able to Consider Your Credit History?
Should Insurance Companies Be Able to Consider Your Credit History?

Most people know that their credit score impacts their ability to get a loan and even a job in some states – but what about their ability to get insurance? While insurance companies don’t use your credit score, many – 85% to 95% in most…
Should you buy earthquake insurance?
Should you buy earthquake insurance?

Last weekend’s magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Napa, Calif., may be easy to dismiss if you live outside the West Coast, but it should prompt homeowners coast-to-coast to check their risk to determine whether earthquake insurance is warranted, because the threat may be greater than you…