Insuring your home against disaster
Insuring your home against disaster

If the worst happens, you can’t be sure you’ll collect enough to bring back the home you love. Here’s what to do. Money Magazine) — If last fall’s devastating California wildfires weren’t enough of a wake-up call, consider this: Nearly 60% of homes nationwide don’t…
Calif. Department of Insurance Offers Help to San Diego Fire Victims
Calif. Department of Insurance Offers Help to San Diego Fire Victims

The California Department of Insurance is extending a helping hand to residents affected by the San Diego fires. The agency, along with Consumer advocacy groups, United Policyholders and RB United, will hold sessions to help affected residents collect their claims. Reporter, David Nogueras has more.…
Wildfires heat up debate on rising rebuilding costs
Wildfires heat up debate on rising rebuilding costs

Are policies adequate to help make homeowners whole? Stan Newman figures it will cost him close to $400,000 to rebuild his three-bedroom home, which burned to the ground in the fall when a wildfire swept through his neighborhood in the San Diego County community of…
California Bush Fire Victims Discover Belatedly They Are Underinsured
California Bush Fire Victims Discover Belatedly They Are Underinsured

Los Angeles, CA AHN) – A survey by United Policyholders slated for release Friday states widespread underinsurance of properties in California, unveiled by the recent wild bushfires. The San Francisco-based consumer organization surveyed 274 residents on the extent of the damage the wildfires caused on…
Companies, underinsured homeowners still in dispute over settlements stemming from 2007 wildfires
Companies, underinsured homeowners still in dispute over settlements stemming from 2007 wildfires

They spent a recent Saturday creating detailed lists of the contents of their houses – everything from dishes and bed linens to socks and unopened tubes of toothpaste. When memories failed, they turned to each other’s lists to jar their recollections. It was a long…
County has provided mental health services for victims of ’07 fires
County has provided mental health services for victims of ’07 fires

After his Fallbrook home was destroyed in the 2007 wildfires, Richard McDonnell realized that his friends didn’t understand his sense of loss, the grieving for destroyed heirlooms or the frustration over the the slow rebuilding process. Then McDonnell, 63, began attending the weekly group meetings…
Family Deals With Fire Aftermath, Insurance Issues
Family Deals With Fire Aftermath, Insurance Issues

SAN DIEGO — Lee and Shirley Taylor aren’t alone. They are victims of the October wildfires that destroyed their Ramona home. They’re also underinsured. “That was our request, insure us against total loss,” said Lee Taylor. He said his agent handed him a 108-page insurance…
Homeowners allege firms underinsured them for wildfires
Homeowners allege firms underinsured them for wildfires

San Diego County residents, saying they were misled into believing they had enough coverage, urge the state insurance commissioner to take action. Insurers say it’s not a severe problem. Reporting from Sacramento — As a wildfire sparked evacuations in Southern California on Wednesday morning, victims…
Insurance covers less this time
Insurance covers less this time

Policies scaled back after Katrina If Hurricane Gustav hits Louisiana, homeowners will discover that they have less insurance coverage than they did during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and they’ll be reaching into their own pockets to cover damage. In the past three years, the use…
Insurance firms face fire probe: Poizner’s response to UP’s Oct. 23rd Press Conference
Insurance firms face fire probe: Poizner’s response to UP’s Oct. 23rd Press Conference

California’s insurance commissioner has ordered his auditors to examine how insurance companies handled claims from last year’s devastating wildfires amid allegations from homeowners that some insurers misled them about how much coverage they needed. “We’ll be looking for patterns of behavior by insurance companies, of…
Insurer Losses From Subprime Approach Katrina Claims
Insurer Losses From Subprime Approach Katrina Claims

March 14 Bloomberg) – The collapse of the subprime mortgage market will lead to record losses for insurance companies, overtaking Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. The amount of asset writedowns and credit losses reported by the industry has reached at least…
Insurers likely to weather California firestorm
Insurers likely to weather California firestorm

Industry observers say damage payouts shouldn’t pose any difficulty, but the weak global economy could lead to eventual premium increases. Once again, thousands of Southern Californians reeling from days of destructive wildfires have been forced to exercise the home insurance policies they hoped they would…
Many Struggle to Rebuild After Last Year’s Wildfires
Many Struggle to Rebuild After Last Year’s Wildfires

Victims of last October’s wildfires gathered for a news conference in Rancho Bernardo on Wednesday, asking for help from Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Many say they have not resolved their claims with their insurance companies because they were grossly underinsured. “He needs to follow through…
Most S.D. Wildfire Victims Still in Struggle with Insurance Companies to Rebuild
Most S.D. Wildfire Victims Still in Struggle with Insurance Companies to Rebuild

Even though it’s been six months since wildfires ravaged more than 1,600 homes in the San Diego area, only a handful have begun to rebuild. That’s because for many wildfire survivors, dealing with their insurance companies was like a second disaster. Reporter David Nogueras has…
Q & A about fire insurance
Q & A about fire insurance

Group that learned from the ’91 Oakland blaze provides step-by-step help for rebuilding your life. Even though Southern Californians have endured countless disasters, they rarely are prepared when one hits them. Amy Bach, a San Francisco attorney, has spent her career helping people recover from…
Survey: Hundreds Underinsured in Last Year’s California Wildfires
Survey: Hundreds Underinsured in Last Year’s California Wildfires

Hundreds of people who lost homes in last year’s wildfires did not have enough insurance to cover their rebuilding costs, according to a survey sponsored by United Policyholders, a San Francisco consumer organization. The survey asked 274 people about the losses they incurred in the…
Under-insured fire families in a tough spot
Under-insured fire families in a tough spot

Scores of Witch Creek fire victims are learning they do not have enough insurance to rebuild an equivalent home. Valerie Brown, RB United project coordinator, said at least 110 families she is helping navigate through the recovery process have discovered their homes were 30 to…
Wildfire victims demand help fighting insurance companies
Wildfire victims demand help fighting insurance companies

Homeowners’ policies not covering costs of rebuilding This story has been modified since its original posting. RANCHO BERNARDO —- Stan Newman and about two dozen others who lost their homes in last year’s Witch Creek fire complained Wednesday they had made almost no progress toward…