California’s 5th largest insurer files for a 6.9% rate increase: ‘It’s pretty insane’
California’s 5th largest insurer files for a 6.9% rate increase: ‘It’s pretty insane’

One of the state’s largest insurance companies is asking the state if they can raise its rates. The request is the latest in a string of carriers who have increased premiums in recent months. The California State Automobile Association, an insurance group affiliated with AAA,…
California moves to set nation’s first smoke damage insurance standard
California moves to set nation’s first smoke damage insurance standard

One of the most common insurance complaints after a fire comes from people whose homes are still standing but covered in potentially toxic soot. Because there is no state or federal standard for smoke damage, insurance companies often refuse to pay for cleanup, leaving victims…
Insuring the Future, A Confernce on Climate Change and Insurance, in Hartford September 30
Insuring the Future, A Confernce on Climate Change and Insurance, in Hartford September 30

The Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) and CT Insurance & Financial Services (CT IFS) are joining forces for this second annual Insuring the Future, to be held in Hartford on September 30. This collaborative effort will bring together insurance regulators, government leaders, and industry experts to…
Homeowners insurance warning: Why your trust must be listed on your policy
Homeowners insurance warning: Why your trust must be listed on your policy

Many homeowners risk denied claims by not listing their trust on insurance policies. A simple update can prevent major financial and legal headaches. A Right on the Money viewer recently sent me an urgent message asking me to cover a very important financial topic. I…
Long-shot ballot initiative could have huge effect on California insurance
Long-shot ballot initiative could have huge effect on California insurance

A proposed ballot initiative would drastically change the way property insurance is regulated in California by repealing a law voters passed almost four decades ago. Proposition 103 has regulated home, auto and other types of property and casualty insurance in the state since 1988. It…
The INSURE Act: Could a New Federal Backstop Stabilize Home Insurance and Make Homes Insurable Again?
The INSURE Act: Could a New Federal Backstop Stabilize Home Insurance and Make Homes Insurable Again?

Across the country, homeowners are facing a home insurance crisis. Not only are premiums on the rise, but the policies themselves are becoming harder—and in some places, nearly impossible—to find. In states vulnerable to natural disasters like California, Florida, Texas, and Louisiana, major insurers are…
How to prepare for a wildfire evacuation
How to prepare for a wildfire evacuation

A wildfire can start at any moment, and they can move fast and unpredictably. Preparing for an evacuation should begin before there is any danger. If your household is under voluntary or potential evacuations, begin to prepare your home and get ready to leave. If…
Embers of Change: Building a fire-resilient California
Embers of Change: Building a fire-resilient California

The recent wildfires that have ravaged Southern California have left an unprecedented trail of destruction. The Eaton fire in Altadena burned more than 14,000 acres, while the Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades consumed 23,448 acres. In total, over 16,000 structures were destroyed, including thousands of…
As Texas floods capture attention, experts urge Californians to reconsider flood insurance
As Texas floods capture attention, experts urge Californians to reconsider flood insurance

While Californians are typically more concerned about wildfires than flooding, many are watching the devastation in Texas unfold. It’s estimated that just 2% of households statewide carry a flood insurance policy. Amy Bach, the executive director of United Policyholders, joined us on ‘The Nine,’ who…
Summer is Here ~ Less is More
Summer is Here ~ Less is More

If you live in a suburb or rural area, as you refuel the BBQ and dust off outdoor furniture, take a moment to look around your home and yard. What is in that first five feet around and right up against your home? What if…
State Farm Rate Hike Portends Intensifying Insurance Crisis
State Farm Rate Hike Portends Intensifying Insurance Crisis

California’s property insurance market faces mounting systemic pressures as wildfire risk escalates, construction costs surge and climate change intensifies weather-related perils… Read More 
Renters insurance is a must-have: Protect your belongings for less than a coffee a day
Renters insurance is a must-have: Protect your belongings for less than a coffee a day

Millions of Americans have discovered the benefits of renters insurance. Because landlords aren’t liable for any personal possessions or activities in your apartment, these policies can provide an important safety net if something happens. “For less than the cost of a coffee a day, renters…
Who should consider getting flood insurance? These days, almost everyone
Who should consider getting flood insurance? These days, almost everyone

With the hurricane season starting in parts of the country, this may be good time to consider buying flood insurance for your home — even if you don’t live in a hurricane-prone area. Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in May that…
The Hidden Risks in Your Wildfire Insurance and How to Fix Them
The Hidden Risks in Your Wildfire Insurance and How to Fix Them

So far this year, more than 28,000 wildfires have burned at least 1 million acres in the U.S., surpassing the 10-year average. This growing risk is changing the wildfire insurance market. Insurers are raising prices, leaving certain areas, and changing policy rules. As a result,…
Who Should Consider Getting Flood Insurance? These Days, Almost Everyone.
Who Should Consider Getting Flood Insurance? These Days, Almost Everyone.

With the Atlantic hurricane season about to start, this may be good time to consider buying flood insurance for your home — even if you don’t live in a hurricane-prone area. Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said this month that they were…
Major energy provider hosts safety fair
Major energy provider hosts safety fair

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Nederland Community Center, one of the largest energy providers to the Front Range, Xcel Energy, hosted the Peak to Peak Safety Fair. Up to 20 different non-profit organizations and commercial businesses participated, all serving in the realm of…
County hosts first wildfire preparedness fair
County hosts first wildfire preparedness fair

Fluffy service dogs, Smokey Bear, Cal Fire’s Captain Cal and more than 400 people milled about the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo on Saturday, April 26, for the county’s first event to equip the public with practical information for preparing for a…
Lessons Shared at the County’s First Wildfire Preparedness Event
Lessons Shared at the County’s First Wildfire Preparedness Event

When Heather Vandenberghe saw plumes of smoke blown by 80-mph Santa Ana winds, she listened “to that little voice in my head.” She packed her daughter and her dogs and a few essentials into her car and headed out of Los Angeles’s Palisades area in…