Shaken and Stirred
Shaken and Stirred

The horrific images and aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami should be a call to action for property owners and public officials, and not just in California. There are known (and unknown) faults in the mid-west and throughout the United States. Yet in California…
What to know before you buy flood insurance
What to know before you buy flood insurance

SAN FRANCISCO CBS 5) – It will take some effort, but it is possible for San Francisco residents to buy flood insurance. According to Amy Bach of the consumer group United Policyholders, some San Francisco residents have been having a hard time buying policies. Bach…
Are you insured for the Big One?
Are you insured for the Big One?

Just 12% of homes in the state with fire insurance also have earthquake coverage, according to the California Earthquake Authority. Here’s what consumers shopping for coverage need to know. Reporting from Sacramento— The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan will cost insurance companies billions…
Accidental Death Becomes Suicide When Insurers Dodge Payouts
Accidental Death Becomes Suicide When Insurers Dodge Payouts

Jane Pierce spent nine years struggling alongside her husband, Todd, as he fought cancer in his sinus cavity. The treatments were working. Then, in July 2009, Todd died in a fiery car crash. He was 46. That was the beginning of a whole new battle…
Forged MetLife “Checks” Show Retained-Asset Account Risks
Forged MetLife “Checks” Show Retained-Asset Account Risks

After her mother died, Jasmine Williams was assured by MetLife Inc. that her $101,819 in life insurance benefits were safe and was sent what the company called a guaranteed money market “checkbook” in 2002. The next year, Williams, then 19, told New York-based MetLife that…
New Zealand earthquake preparedness: Authorities battled complacency
New Zealand earthquake preparedness: Authorities battled complacency

Wellington, New Zealand New Zealanders have received a violent wake-up call: It’s past time to be prepared for the “Big One” – the long-feared major earthquake authorities have been warning about for years.As this small island nation picks up the pieces from the 6.3-magnitude earthquake…
Travel Insurance: The Revolution Won’t Be Covered
Travel Insurance: The Revolution Won’t Be Covered

Most policies don’t cover things like Egypt’s unrest or New Zealand’s quake. They typically pay off if you get sick and need a flight home. International travelers are cursed with interesting times: The first two months of 2011 already have been marked by an earthquake…
Determining the Right Coverage
Determining the Right Coverage

Patrick Rodgers, the Philadelphia homeowner with the “foreclosure” case against Wells Fargo Home Mortgage that made him a national celebrity, declared victory last week. To settle his claim under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, he says, Wells Fargo WFC) agreed to reverse thousands of…
Ignore Ads When Buying Insurance
Ignore Ads When Buying Insurance

“I would encourage people to completely ignore the marketing materials you receive from the insurers. The information is geared to persuade people to buy the product. It doesn’t explain the benefits clearly,” says former industry insider Wendell Potter in a recent New York Times interview. Potter’s advice…
Are Insurance Companies Letting Down Colorado Forest Fire Victims?
Are Insurance Companies Letting Down Colorado Forest Fire Victims?

Buyer beware: Residents grappling with rebuilding costs after the Fourmile Fire near Boulder may receive only a fraction of the money they need to restore their homes. Do insurance companies underinsure customers as a means of staying competitive? For many victims of the Fourmile Fire…
A Health Insurance Insider Offers Words of Advice
A Health Insurance Insider Offers Words of Advice

WENDELL POTTER is a 20-year health insurance veteran who served in top public relations jobs at such firms as Cigna and Humana. Now a senior analyst at the Center for Public Integrity, Mr. Potter has written “Deadly Spin,” a tell-all about practices of the health…
Regulators issue alert on retained asset accounts
Regulators issue alert on retained asset accounts
Property Insurance Issues are Primary Focus of 12th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference
Property Insurance Issues are Primary Focus of 12th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference
Forged MetLife ‘Checks’ Show Retained-Asset Account Risks
Forged MetLife ‘Checks’ Show Retained-Asset Account Risks

After her mother died, Jasmine Williams was assured by MetLife Inc. that her $101,819 in life insurance benefits were safe and was sent what the company called a guaranteed money market “checkbook” in 2002. The next year, Williams, then 19, told New York-based MetLife that…
Officials, Advocates Tout Open-Enrollment Period for Children’s Coverage
Officials, Advocates Tout Open-Enrollment Period for Children’s Coverage
Neighborhood Watch Meeting Draws Dozens Of Residents
Neighborhood Watch Meeting Draws Dozens Of Residents

The Hemingway Avenue Neighborhood Watch in San Carlos is well organized and motivated. Mission Times Courier, San Diego, CA) – The brightly colored Neighborhood Watch signs are conveniently placed on streetlight poles informing everyone driving into the area that Neighborhood Watch is up and running.…
ConsumerWatch: Is Water Pipeline Insurance Worth It?
ConsumerWatch: Is Water Pipeline Insurance Worth It?

LOS ALTOS CBS 5) — Vivian Barry never thought much about the water pipes under her Los Altos home, until she started getting official-looking letters from a company called Home Emergency Insurance Solutions. They were trying to sell her insurance for the underground water pipes…
Here’s to a Healthier New Year
Here’s to a Healthier New Year

As pieces of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act go into effect, UP will continue to explain new options and rules. In our June 2010 Tip of the Month we touched on the new protection that went into effect for parents who want to put their children…