December 19, 2014 The Insurance Market Mystifies an Airbnb Host So let’s say you decided to place your home or a few rooms inside it among the million-plus listings that the rental site Airbnb now claims to have. And let’s also say that you’re the rule-abiding sort and find the part of the company’s website…
November 25, 2014 Purely a bad idea – “Purely Cosmetic” Exclusion Thanks for giving: Your ideas and your skills Thanks for putting UP in your wills! Thanks for the info, donations and scoop Thanks to those who keep us in the loop Now here’s our tip for the month of November A question we want you…
November 17, 2014 What a weekend! The UP Team was out and about on Saturday participating in three educational events in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego. In San Francisco, UP Executive Director Amy Bach and Staff Attorney Dan Wade joined the Consumer Attorneys of California at their Annual Convention. UP organized…
October 27, 2014 Who’s got home insurance discounts for you? Just as car insurers dole out discounts to entice drivers, home insurance companies are willing to do the same for homeowners who do their part in mitigating loss. “It’s all about risk reduction,” says Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, a New…
October 24, 2014 Does Insurance Cover Ebola Care? Your chances of getting Ebola in the U.S. are very slim. But if you do, who’s footing the bill? Ebola care is pricey, with estimates ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 per day, according to several health care analysts and experts who spoke to TIME. Some…
October 16, 2014 New Mexico fourth most expensive state for homeowners insurance claims New Mexico is an extremely pricey state for homeowner’s insurance, according to a new study. The study, published by insurancequotes.com, looked at the rise in homeowners insurance premiums after making claims and found that the average premium for New Mexico policyholders rises by nearly 19…
October 16, 2014 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.…
October 11, 2014 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…
September 30, 2014 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…
September 29, 2014 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…
September 2, 2014 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…
August 28, 2014 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 —…
August 26, 2014 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…
August 26, 2014 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…
August 21, 2014 6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Insurance Agent Whether you’re in the market for insurance to cover your home, your car or your life, it can be a confusing process filled with jargon and exclusions. Perhaps that’s why many consumers enlist the help of an insurance agent to help them compare options and…
August 20, 2014 Finding the best car insurance for teens 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 —…
August 4, 2014 Too Young for Disability Insurance? Yeah, Right If you are in your 20s or early 30s, you may live like you’re “Young, Wild and Free,” to borrow a song title from the recent past. But you’re not immune from injury or illness. Unless you’re wealthy, making ends meet could be difficult if…
August 1, 2014 Availability and Affordability of Insurance Under Climate Change: A Growing Challenge for the U.S. (From the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, University of California at Berkeley) In 2005, we prepared a special report focusing on this topic.Mills, E., R.J. Roth Jr., and E. Lecomte. 2006. “Availability and Affordability of Insurance Under Climate Change: A Growing Challenge for the U.S.” Journal of…
