County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3

The County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui will host an open house at its new office at Lahaina Gateway on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. The office is in Suite B102, near Ace Hardware, at the shopping center at 325…
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3

The County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui will host an open house at its new office at Lahaina Gateway on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. The office is in Suite B102, near Ace Hardware, at the shopping center at 325…
First Steps After a Wildfire
First Steps After a Wildfire

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.  Use this information with The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory Guide. …
Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program
Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program

Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program even if they have not used up all their ALE/Loss of Use benefits. Generally, if you have homeowner or rental insurance, FEMA requires you to use all your insurance benefits before FEMA is able…
First Steps After a Tornado
First Steps After a Tornado

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. Use this information with The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory…
Catch UP on Insurance for Repairing Flood Damage with David Maurstad
Catch UP on Insurance for Repairing Flood Damage with David Maurstad

In this Catch UP segment, Amy Bach talks to David Maurstad about Flood Insurance. David Maurstad is FEMA’s Assistant Administrator of Federal Insurance Directorate and Senior Executive of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Advice From A Fire Survivor: ‘I Learned A Lot’
Advice From A Fire Survivor: ‘I Learned A Lot’

Don’t rush into things, especially major decisions. You have plenty of time. I was a board member for Coffey Strong which was formed after our fire to help our neighborhood, Coffey Park, recover. I now work for United Policyholders, which is a nonprofit that has…
As wildfire risk increases in Bay Area, communities are building back better with new technology
As wildfire risk increases in Bay Area, communities are building back better with new technology

For many people in California, memories of recent wildfires are vivid and painful. The same can be said for construction consultant Ed Nessinger, who can recreate the terrifying moments from recent wildfires in Sonoma County in chilling detail. “So the last Tubbs fire, I was…
Survivors Speak: Ten Days in Lahaina
Survivors Speak: Ten Days in Lahaina

Driving along the idyllic West Maui coast on a characteristically stunning day in early September, all looked as beautiful as ever. As I crested the hill on the south of end of Lahaina, John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ was playing on the radio. And I began to…
Maui’s Fire Victims Are Frustrated By Insurance Hassles, Financial Delays
Maui’s Fire Victims Are Frustrated By Insurance Hassles, Financial Delays

Numerous people showed up at a state Senate hearing on Maui where lawmakers urged state agencies to do more to protect consumers. As Lahaina fire victims recited a long litany of insurance problems they are facing after the Aug. 8 conflagration, Hawaii state senators pressed…
Tubbs Wildfire survivor helping Maui victims with insurance claims
Tubbs Wildfire survivor helping Maui victims with insurance claims

A Santa Rosa woman is in Maui helping survivors of the wildfires rebuild their lives and futures. As a survivor of the North Bay Wildfires herself, the mission is a labor of love. “I tend to see the challenges. I tend to see the heartache,”…
Santa Rosa survivor of Tubbs Fire on the job in Maui with counsel for fire victims
Santa Rosa survivor of Tubbs Fire on the job in Maui with counsel for fire victims

Sonoma County resident Annie Barbour arrived in Maui last week hoping her past may help rebuild the future of survivors of the devastating wildfires that leveled the island town of Lahaina. Barbour’s work connecting survivors with resources through United Policyholders of San Francisco comes with…
Maui Wildfire Survivors Accessing “Been There” Roadmap to Recovery® Expertise
Maui Wildfire Survivors Accessing “Been There” Roadmap to Recovery® Expertise

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The national non-profit United Policyholders (UP), which has earned high marks over three decades for easing and improving wildfire recovery for impacted households in California, Colorado, Washington, Arizona and Oregon,announced today that it is delivering help to Maui residents through multiple…
First Steps After a Wildfire
First Steps After a Wildfire

The devastation on Maui is heartbreaking, and for those who’ve lost loved ones, homes and businesses, it’s overwhelming and painful beyond words. United Policyholders (UP) staff and volunteers will be supporting recovery in the Lahaina region now and in the months and years ahead. As…
Insurance consumer advocate group unveils state-by-state guide to insurance legal rights
Insurance consumer advocate group unveils state-by-state guide to insurance legal rights

For Immediate Release:  March 13, 2023 Contact: Amy Bach, Executive Director SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2023 – United Policyholders (UP), a national insurance consumer advocacy non-profit, today announced a major expansion of its services. Insurance company claim adjusters are required to know and follow the…
Catch UP on replacement cost estimates with Matt Everson and Bill Wallace
Catch UP on replacement cost estimates with Matt Everson and Bill Wallace

In this Catch UP segment, CA construction experts Matt Everson and Bill Wallace, authors of “The Claim Game” share how they helped wildfire-impacted homeowners get accurate rebuild estimates in order to negotiate fair claim settlements with insurance companies.  
Businesses and Residents Hope for Post-Storm Relief
Businesses and Residents Hope for Post-Storm Relief

Costs continue to add up even with assistance from FEMA and flood insurance When Watsonville resident Amy Thomas reached out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for help, she had already paid thousands of dollars to repair damages caused by a spate of recent…
FEMA can help California communities recover under the Stafford Act
FEMA can help California communities recover under the Stafford Act

When disaster hits, FEMA can help communities recover under the Stafford Act (Disasterassistance.gov). If a Disaster Declaration is issued, it can be either a Emergency Declaration (to supplement state, local, and tribal government efforts to provide debris removal and emergency protective measures or to lessen/avert…