Shaken Awake Conference
Shaken Awake Conference

With the recent Japan and New Zealand earthquakes as a backdrop, we are mindful of the risk we face in the Bay Area from earthquakes. The close proximity of faults, coupled with a large population of older houses, puts a huge percentage of our housing…
Under My Umbrella
Under My Umbrella

No one wants to pay for insurance they don’t need. Most people go a lifetime without being sued, so the idea of buying more than basic insurance against lawsuits (“Liability Insurance”) may seem unnecessary. But the legal expenses you’ll incur if you ever are sued…
Got Insurance? Enough? You Sure?
Got Insurance? Enough? You Sure?

Many U.S. homeowners haven’t insured their homes against earthquakes and other disasters, but the devastating losses in the wake of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan may cause people to give their insurance policies another look. As well they should. Earthquakes have occurred in…
Will Americans pay attention to earthquake insurance now?
Will Americans pay attention to earthquake insurance now?

The advice can’t get any simpler than this: “People who live near fault lines should have earthquake insurance,” says Amy Bach, executive director of the United Policyholders consumer organization. Will the disaster in Japan be the crisis that compels Americans in quake-prone areas to pay…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Regulators issue alert on retained asset accounts
Regulators issue alert on retained asset accounts
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…
Guest Speaker Shares Insurance Buying Tips with RB Community Council
Guest Speaker Shares Insurance Buying Tips with RB Community Council

The topic of insurance may prompt some people to nod off. However, in a community familiar with the ugly side of Mother Nature, the discussion couldn’t be more welcome. The Rancho Bernardo Community Council hosted guest speaker Kaye Coates of United Policyholders on Thursday at…
ConsumerWatch: Despite Health Reform, Young Adults Not Always Covered
ConsumerWatch: Despite Health Reform, Young Adults Not Always Covered

When Health Care Reform passed last year, millions of parents with uninsured dependents were relieved. But not all dependents will have coverage right away. When Evan Spinrod’s daughter turned 19, she was kicked off her family’s Kaiser’s health plan. Spinrod said that’s when he decided…