June 27, 2012 Larimer County officials begin to plan for High Park fire recovery work Larimer County will hire a disaster recovery manager for six months to help the county respond to the High Park fire, now at 83,262 acres, 248 homes lost and in its 18th day. As more than 2,000 firefighters continue to battle the blaze, now at…
May 23, 2012 Wildfire Relief Donations Distributed Today the Austin Community Foundation is awarding more than $830,000 in grant money from the Central Texas Wildfire Fund. The money was donated by people from across the country and raised through the “Fire Relief” concert held last October. Nine organizations are receiving between $2,000…
April 16, 2012 One homeowner’s travails: Even after more than six years, family can’t move back into “new” house By Bob Butler, Fellow, G.W. Williams Center for Independent Journalism, and Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer |Each day, after wrapping up work as a streetcar operator, Kisa Holmes drives by to check on the house she bought in the Upper 9th Ward just weeks…
March 20, 2012 Allstate policy raises roof on prices in Oklahoma Insurance costs: Oklahoma homeowners could pay more under terms of a new Allstate policy, which no longer pays the full cost of repairing or replacing older roofs. A new type of homeowners’ insurance launched in Oklahoma by Allstate Corp. no longer pays for the full…
March 14, 2012 Insurers rethink homeowners policies in the wake of major disasters Phillip Berger insured his Maryland home through Allstate for 23 years. But a home disaster forced him to take his business elsewhere, he said. Berger, 58, is not new to property damage or insurer conflict. Years ago, a tornado swept over his home and damaged…
February 16, 2012 Consumer advocates raise the roof over Allstate’s new home insurance rule Some homeowners soon may see their insurance-related costs go through the roof. Eventually, Allstate customers with roofs more than 10 years old won’t have the full cost of new roofs covered under their home insurance policies. Allstate’s House & Home program will pay the “actual…
February 16, 2012 Flood disaster made worse by some insurers Any kind of disaster insurance can be very tricky. Fine print in a policy can mean the difference between having the money to rebuild – and having nothing. But, reports Julie Watts, of CBS station KPIX in San Francisco, a dispute over what caused a…
February 1, 2012 After the disaster: Uninsured homeowners have little to fall back on The images of the tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires of 2011 remain seared in our memories. You might live in one of the areas battered by weather tragedies. Or you might have frantically checked on friends and relatives who were affected by natural disasters.…
November 15, 2011 The Toll of the Tea Fire: Three years later, community struggles to rebuild On November 13, 2008, a firestorm roared across the flanks of the Santa Ynez Mountains and changed many lives in Montecito forever. Lance and Carla Hoffman were enjoying an afternoon together when the fire, still in its infancy, suddenly flared up and over a hillside.…
November 14, 2011 Major Improvements Coming to Crestmoor Neighborhood The city is set to begin the next improvements to the Crestmoor neighborhood as part of the effort to rebuild the area damaged by the Sept. 9, 2010, PG&E pipeline explosion. Some of the rebuilding work has already taken place to bring the neighborhood some…
November 7, 2011 The cost of peace of mind Local couple fight for their long-term-care insurance. Edwin Goldstein who has been with his long-term-care insurer since 1993 is being asked to reapply because of an alleged missed payment. Goldstein has turned to attorneys, his congressman, and state officials for help. At 83, and eight…
November 1, 2011 20 years after Oakland firestorm, insurance snags remain Reporting from Oakland— For months after the 1991 Oakland hills fire reduced his home to a charred heap, Howard Matis would return from work, then close his eyes and imagine the contents of every drawer, shelf, cupboard and closet of his two-story bungalow. His was…
October 25, 2011 Denied! 6 Foolish Moves That destroy a Car Insurance Claim When you purchase car insurance, you hope your claims will be paid. But in many situations, your insurer can deny your claim because of things you’ve done. Negligence, criminal activity or simple forgetfulness all can cost you. Here are six things you may do that…
October 25, 2011 Oakland hills fire: homeowners in high-risk areas must make sure they have adequate coverage For months after the 1991 Oakland hills fire reduced his home on Sherwick Drive to a charred heap, Howard Matis would return from work, then close his eyes and imagine the contents of every drawer, shelf, cupboard and closet of his two-story bungalow. But how…
October 25, 2011 San Bruno fire victims struggle with insurance companies SAN BRUNO, Calif. KGO) — More than a year after the San Bruno pipeline explosion, recovering and rebuilding is slow-going. Homeowners are having a hard time getting what they need from their insurance companies. The intersection where a PG&E pipeline exploded over a year ago…
October 24, 2011 ConsumerWatch: Does Your Insurance Policy Protect? The next day, a larger storm came. Water came through sewers and manhole covers to flood the streets, turning Capitola into a lake. Home to many mom and pop shops already struggling to survive, dealing with the aftermath may have been even tougher than the…
October 24, 2011 Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones Marks 20th Anniversary of Berkeley, Oakland Firestorm SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 19 — The California Department of Insurance issued the following news release: Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, joined by Assemblymember Nancy Skinner D-Berkeley) and Oakland Mayor Jean Quan will mark the 20th anniversary of the Berkeley, Oakland Firestorm and the 20th year of…
October 19, 2011 Hills fire fueled changes in insurance practices After surviving the 1991 firestorm, thousands of Oakland residents faced a new nightmare: fighting insurance companies that stalled on making payouts and tried to lowball the costs of rebuilding. “People don’t realize that you have the first disaster of the fire itself, then the disaster…
