September 11, 2017 11 Tips on dealing with your insurance company If you have damage in your home due to Harvey, there are several things you need to know. 1. If you have flood insurance, you must notify your insurance provider within 60 days of the flood damage. The National Flood Insurance Program has a step…
September 11, 2017 Insurers ache for qualified inspectors after US hurricanes Insurers are scrambling to find inspectors in Texas and Florida after fierce hurricanes battered the states one after the other, causing tens of billions of dollars’ worth of property damage in less than two weeks. Although insurers maintain some number of inspectors, known as claims…
September 2, 2017 Private flood insurance may be option for homeowners in water’s way Larry Blair of San Mateo buys flood insurance only because his lender requires it, and for years he thought his only option was the National Flood Insurance Program. Then he read about private flood insurance on a Facebook page for people in his North Shoreview…
August 31, 2017 Clarifying the effect of Texas House Bill 1774 on Harvey insurance claims There has been some confusion about the effect of a new Texas law that limits the future legal rights of people and businesses that will be filing insurance claims for damage from Hurricane Harvey. The new law comes into play in situations where an insurance…
August 31, 2017 Claims Teams Begin Handling Onslaught of Harvey Claims Hurricane Harvey has set a U.S record, according to the National Weather Service, dumping 51.88 inches of rain in parts of Texas. As the tropical storm moves over southern Louisiana, claims catastrophe teams are moving in to devastated cities in Texas. AIR Worldwide reported severe…
August 30, 2017 After the storm: How to fight your insurance company If the aftermath of past hurricanes is any indication, many Texas homeowners will have to do battle with their insurance companies when Harvey finally runs out of wind and water. “Prepare to push for a fair and full insurance settlement,” said Amy Bach, executive director…
August 30, 2017 Forbes Op-Ed: Insurance Isn’t Going to Help Harvey Victims Once again, a storm has devastated a region and broken records. Hurricane Harvey dropped so much rain on Texas, the National Weather Service had to add new colors to its map graphics. Where will the money come from to repair the damage? We know it…
August 28, 2017 Basic Storm Stats – Texas Hurricane Harvey Dates of the hurricane: Incident Period: August 23-September 15, 2017 Major Disaster Declaration: August 25, 2017 Wind speed: 130mph (Category 4) at landfall in Rockport, Texas Peak rainfall:[1] 40-61 inches 51.88 inches fell in Cedar Bayou in less than five days Affected…
August 25, 2017 Be Prepared to Push Insurance Companies for Fair Treatment After Hurricane Harvey, UP Advises United Policyholders Offers Texans Free Home Inventory App, Provides Guidance to Residents for Before and After the Storm As Gulf Coast communities brace for Hurricane Harvey, the national insurance consumer non-profit United Policyholders UP) has a special message for Texans: “Be prepared to push for…
August 9, 2017 FEMA extends deadline for Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended the deadline for policyholders to respond to its offers under the Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims review process. Lack of responses Last month, FEMA sent out a letter notifying policyholders, many of whom had been offered money…
May 13, 2017 This family lost everything in one of California’s worst wildfires. Now, they’re almost home COBB MOUNTAIN The wooded path between Maya Leonard’s house and the elementary school where she is a sixth-grader remains scarred and blackened, a reminder of the epic wildfire that stole so much from this community on a September afternoon in 2015. But as she has…
February 25, 2017 ConsumerWatch Weekend: Flood Insurance Consumer reporter Julie Watts spoke with Emily Rogan, with consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, about resources available to flood victims without insurance.
February 23, 2017 First Steps After a Flood United Policyholders is a nonprofit organization that is a voice and an information resource for insurance consumers in all 50 states. UP has helped guide disaster survivors on the road to recovery since 1991. This information will walk you through the first few weeks. Here…
February 21, 2017 Help with flood insurance claims There are things you can do to make life easier when it’s time to file your insurance claims. We talked to the consumer advocacy group, United Policyholders and they said you should take pictures before and after the evacuation, document how much water entered your…
February 17, 2017 Oroville shows importance of flood insurance The near-disaster at Lake Oroville last week shows once again why homeowners and renters might consider buying flood insurance, even if their lender does not require it. Anyone with a federally backed mortgage is required to have flood insurance if they live in a high-risk…
February 7, 2017 Rainpocalypse If your property has been damaged due to a heavy rain and high winds, it can be tricky to collect insurance benefits to pay for repairs. Home and renters policies exclude some but not all types of water damage. “Flood” damage (the policy should define…
February 1, 2017 Here to help The insurance premiums you pay as an individual or business entitle you to benefits and good claim service in the event of a loss. You should not have to hire professional help to get your claim paid fairly, and often you don’t. But when you…
November 30, 2016 Big Data and Privacy In the past, insurance companies used straightforward objective criteria and actuarial science to evaluate risks and calculate how much to charge a consumer for an insurance policy. Age, address, income, claim history and education were the main factors. Today, insurers are using subjective factors such…
