Impact of Court Ruling Chubb Unit’s Crime Policy Covers ‘Spoofed’ Wire Transfer
Impact of Court Ruling Chubb Unit’s Crime Policy Covers ‘Spoofed’ Wire Transfer

In a closely-watched case on insurance coverage in an age of expanding cyber risk, a federal appeals court in New York has upheld a lower court ruling that a commercial crime insurance policy covers wire transfer losses resulting from a spoofing attack. The ruling is…
Sonoma County foundation gives $500,000 more for wildfire-recovery help with insurance, law
Sonoma County foundation gives $500,000 more for wildfire-recovery help with insurance, law

A Sonoma County nonprofit has announced nearly $500,000 in grants to two area organizations specifically to help victims of the October wildfires deal with the legal and insurance issues related to recovery. Community Foundation Sonoma County said the funding comes through its Sonoma County Resilience…
Mind the gap – Fill the holes
Mind the gap – Fill the holes

Any time the topic of insurance catches your attention is a good time to check on yours. Exclusions and high deductibles cause major protection gaps. Once again a UP R2R survey documented that 2/3 of wildfire survivors don’t have enough insurance to pay for their…
Insurance Tips Post-1/9 Debris Flow Montecito Residents Gather for Practical Advice
Insurance Tips Post-1/9 Debris Flow Montecito Residents Gather for Practical Advice

Sixty Montecito property owners who suffered losses during the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow got practical advice from United Policyholders, a San Francisco–based nonprofit firm whose motto is “Empowering the Insured.” “You’re not the first community to have to go through something like this,”…
Thomas Fire and Debris Flow – Roadmap to Recovery Workshop June 26, 2018
Thomas Fire and Debris Flow – Roadmap to Recovery Workshop June 26, 2018

Our next Roadmap to Recovery workshop for Thomas Fire Survivors will be held on: Tuesday, June 26th from 5:30-7:30pm Montecito Union School Auditorium 385 San Ysidro Rd., Santa Barbara This workshop will cover navigating your insurance claim, asserting your rights, and sources of help. This workshop…
Hawaii Big Island UPdate
Hawaii Big Island UPdate

SPECIAL ALERT FOR PUNA RESIDENTS: Organizations to host insurance forum for residents affected by lava flows PUNA, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) – As the number of homes lost to lava since eruptions began climbs to 87, many lower Puna residents are uncertain about what — if anything — they’ll have to…
UPdate on remedies for UNDERINSURED CA disaster survivors
UPdate on remedies for UNDERINSURED CA disaster survivors

Wildfire survivors in regions throughout California are using UP’s guidance on how to remedy the fact that they are grossly underinsured.  Upon learning that assurances they’d gotten and relied upon from insurers, agents, and brokers that their homes were adequately insured were untrue – these…
Transformed by October fires, Sonoma County takes stock, bracing for ‘a learning year’
Transformed by October fires, Sonoma County takes stock, bracing for ‘a learning year’

Two sisters. Two paths to recovery. Susan Komar and Lynn Van Fleit each lost a home last fall when the Tubbs fire ravaged northern Santa Rosa. Six months later, Komar and her husband, Chris, said they plan this year to start rebuilding their home in…
The Results Are In…
The Results Are In…

The bad news: Inadequate insurance and loss valuation disputes are slowing recovery from the devastating 2017 wildfires in Northern CA, according to UP’s most recent Roadmap to Recovery survey. A full 6 months after losing their homes, 80% of survey respondents have NOT settled the…
Editorial: The heartbreaking reason why many victims won’t rebuild
Editorial: The heartbreaking reason why many victims won’t rebuild

For many homeowners, the full extent of the devastation from the October fires is still unfolding — on their calculators. As Staff Writer Bill Swindell spelled out in his front-page story a week ago “Painful insurance reality,” Sunday), the number of people in Sonoma County…
Insurance shortfalls hamper Sonoma County fire victims’ ability to rebuild
Insurance shortfalls hamper Sonoma County fire victims’ ability to rebuild

Josh Nix thought he was doing everything right in August when he renewed the insurance policy for his Mark West area home just east of Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. Nix answered the questions posed by his carrier, USAA, in an online form used…
2017 North Bay Wildfire Recovery Survey is underway
2017 North Bay Wildfire Recovery Survey is underway

ATTENTION HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED BY THE 2017 WILDFIRES IN THE NORTH BAY, CALIFORNIA: Please take a few minutes to complete a short survey.  The purpose is to gather information about insurance and recovery, progress and problems.  The information we collect through this survey will help our…
February Roadmap to Recovery Workshop Schedule
February Roadmap to Recovery Workshop Schedule

This month, United Policyholders is hosting the following Roadmap to Recovery workshops for wildfire-impacted households: NAPA Tuesday, February 20th from 6-8pm ​Topic: Financial Decision-Making ​The Hall at St. John the Baptist Church 960 Caymus St., Napa SANTA ROSA Wednesday, February 21st from 6-8pm ​Topic: Scoping and Valuing Your Dwelling Loss Santa Rosa High…
Insurers should be on the hook for Montecito mudslide damage, commissioner says
Insurers should be on the hook for Montecito mudslide damage, commissioner says

Montecito residents who are hoping that insurance will cover damage to their homes from recent mudslides received a word of support from an important ally on Monday. California insurance commissioner Dave Jones issued a notice to insurers outlining his office’s position that they should be…
Advocates guide Napa Valley fire survivors seeking insurance payouts
Advocates guide Napa Valley fire survivors seeking insurance payouts

YOUNTVILLE — The North Bay wildfires obliterated homes, belongings and keepsakes within hours or even minutes. But for many survivors, the journey toward repayment for their losses is still in its early days – and advocates for policyholders are hoping to guide some of them…
Conversations Around the Fire’ Turns to Insurance Strategies for Resilient Rebuilding
Conversations Around the Fire’ Turns to Insurance Strategies for Resilient Rebuilding

Yesterday, we heard a presentation from “Conversations Around the Fire” – an initiative hoping to guide local residents to greener, safer and more just ideas about rebuilding our community. One speaker at the conversation Monday night represented a group that helps answer questions about insurance,…
UP to the challenge: 4 simultaneous Roadmap to Recovery operations
UP to the challenge: 4 simultaneous Roadmap to Recovery operations

Last night in Ventura, California, UP oriented and empowered a room full of 200 people whose homes were destroyed in the Thomas wildfire.  Bringing the combination of seasoned empathy and technical/legal expertise that makes UP’s Roadmap to Recovery program a unique and valuable source of disaster recovery…
Ventura Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/22/18
Ventura Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/22/18

United Policyholders hosted a Roadmap to Recovery Insurance Orientation workshop for Thomas Fire Survivors in Ventura on Monday, January 22nd from 6-8pm.  The workshop was led by 1991 Oakland/Berkeley firestorm survivor and UP Board Chair Sue Piper at the Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room at…