How to Save by Bundling Auto and Home Insurance
How to Save by Bundling Auto and Home Insurance

When it comes to insurance, we all look for ways to save money. One of the easiest and most common ways to save is by bundling auto and home insurance with one company. Insurance companies typically offer discounts in exchange for carrying more than one…
Tips for talking to your insurance company after a car accident
Tips for talking to your insurance company after a car accident

USA Today – It’s your “good neighbor.” It’s “on your side.” But after a car accident, some drivers fear their insurance company won’t be such a pal. “Hopefully, your insurer will step up,” says Amy Bach, executive director of consumer advocacy group United Policyholders. “But…
6 Month Wildfire Survey
6 Month Wildfire Survey

At the six-month mark of the Valley and Butte Wildfires, we ask that fire survivors please take a few minutes to complete a short online survey regarding your experience regarding the insurance claims process and the status of your recovery. Your identity will be kept confidential when…
Long story short…
Long story short…

Long story short… If you have long-term care insurance or are considering buying it, here’s a relevant UPdate: – If you’re in your 50’s or older, you may be considering a traditional or hybrid long term care insurance policy. One that covers home care and…
Income tax tips workshop for Butte Fire survivors
Income tax tips workshop for Butte Fire survivors

United Policyholders, a San Francisco-based nonprofit agency that assists insurance holders after disasters, will host a workshop offering tax tips for Butte Fire victims at 6 p.m. Friday in the Mountain Ranch Community Club, 8049 Washington St., Mountain Ranch. United Policyholders Executive Director Amy Bach…
Bach Talk – The Power of Sunshine
Bach Talk – The Power of Sunshine

UP is constantly working to publish information and guidance on investing your insurance dollars wisely by patronizing companies that offer quality protection and have a record of good claim service.  We promote shopping tools that allow consumers to compare coverage side by side.  We promote…
Dam Ice!
Dam Ice!

With spring around the corner, home and business owners in snow-prone areas should be on the lookout for damage from ice dams. Extreme cold and unseasonably warm winter weather has caused ice dams to form on building roofs from New England to Minnesota. Trapped water…
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Claimant in ERISA Reimbursement Dispute (Guest blog)
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Claimant in ERISA Reimbursement Dispute (Guest blog)

In Montanile v. Bd. of Trs. of the Nat’l Elevator Indus. Health Ben. Plan, No. 14-723, 2016 U.S. LEXIS 843 (2016), the U.C. Supreme Court dealt a decisive victory to employees when it ruled 8-1 that an employee benefit plan may not garnish a plan participant’s general assets in…
Flooded by winter storm? 5 steps you must take
Flooded by winter storm? 5 steps you must take

Many Jersey Shore residents had to mop up from flooding after the weekend blizzard — despite what Gov. Chris Christie initially said — and experts offer these five tips to residents and business owners looking to maximize their flood insurance claims. There was nearly $3…
For Blizzard Damage, Turn to Your Homeowner’s Policy
For Blizzard Damage, Turn to Your Homeowner’s Policy

Atlantic Coast residents digging out from last weekend’s blizzard may be relieved to know that a standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers most types of damage caused by winter storms. “We pay for most things that are the result of a snowstorm,” said Don Griffin, vice…
Insured Losses From California Fires Top $1B
Insured Losses From California Fires Top $1B

Damages from two destructive Northern California wildfires that killed six and sent thousands fleeing their homes topped $1 billion in insured losses, according to a preliminary estimate by the state’s insurance department. The two fires started days apart in September, burning more than 200 square…
Valley Fire Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/21/16 at 6pm
Valley Fire Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/21/16 at 6pm

UP is hosting a Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Valley Fire survivors Thursday, January 21st at 6pm at Middletown High School. This workshop will discuss the contents portion of your claim, including understanding depreciation and strategies for preparing your home inventory. There will be a Q&A session after…
35 Insurance Consumer Representatives Named as NAIC Liaisons
35 Insurance Consumer Representatives Named as NAIC Liaisons

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners NAIC) recently named 35 consumer liaison representatives for 2016. The 20 funded and 15 unfunded consumer representatives began their terms Jan. 1, 2016. Funded representatives receive travel expense reimbursement from the NAIC; unfunded representatives pay their own expenses. Established…
Expert says Butte Fire homeowners should take time on insurance claims
Expert says Butte Fire homeowners should take time on insurance claims

An expert on wildfire insurance claims Wednesday night told a small group of property owners who lost buildings in the Butte Fire not to be in a hurry to settle with their insurance carriers. “Statistics show that the longer your claim remains open, the more…
Post-Disaster Income Tax Workshops for Valley Fire Survivors
Post-Disaster Income Tax Workshops for Valley Fire Survivors

This week there will be two post-disaster tax workshops for Valley Fire survivors. Residents whose homes or businesses have been damaged or destroyed in the recent wildfires are encouraged to attend as well as income tax and personal finance professionals. Middletown: Twin Pines Casino Event Center…
Butte Fire Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/13/16
Butte Fire Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/13/16

UP is hosting a Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Butte Fire survivors on Wednesday, January 13th at 6pm at Mountain Ranch Town Hall.  This workshop will focus on the dwelling portion of your insurance claim and will discuss how to document and value the damage…
Ready for El Niño? Here’s what many homeowners don’t know about flood insurance
Ready for El Niño? Here’s what many homeowners don’t know about flood insurance

LA Times – For the last several months, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have sounded a lot more like salesmen than bureaucrats. And their sales pitch for flood insurance — which harps on the dangers of El Niño while espousing the benefits of…
Earthquake authority offers new insurance options, rebates
Earthquake authority offers new insurance options, rebates

The California Earthquake Authority is offering new insurance policy options this year, including deductibles ranging from 5 to 25 percent, higher coverage limits for personal property and additional living expenses, and a bigger discount for homeowners who submit verified proof of retrofitting. Starting Jan. 20,…