October 7, 2019 On 2nd anniversary of Tubbs Fire, only 10% of homes are rebuilt SANTA ROSA, Calif. KTVU) – With only bout 10% of Santa Rosa homes rebuilt from the 2017 Tubbs fire, the second anniversary of the fire will cause a turn for the worse in many victim’s finances. On Tuesday, many folks waiting to complete or rebuild…
August 27, 2019 Nearly 350,000 California Homeowners in Fire Prone Areas Dropped by Insurers Click Here to Listen to Amy Bach on KQED Forum 8/26/19 Between 2015 and 2018, insurance companies dropped nearly 350,000 California homeowners in high-risk fire areas. This insurance coverage data, recently released by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s office, does not reflect how many people…
July 26, 2019 Homeowner insurance dilemma may turn into a full blown crisis SANTA ROSA, CA – Consumer advocates say a homeowners insurance crunch may soon become a homeowners insurance crisis as customers face huge rate increases or out-and-out cancellations. Experts say the major reasons homeowner policies get giant rate hikes or out-and-out cancellations is that their homes…
May 7, 2019 California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Holds Malibu Town Hall Even six months after the Woolsey Fire, some fire victims are still having difficulties collecting what they’re owed by their insurers; that includes residents with partial damage to their homes as well as those experiencing total losses. To help smooth the way, California’s top insurance…
February 21, 2019 Groups Petition CA Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara To Ban Use of Occupation and Education to Price Auto Insurance Community organizations representing consumers, low-income workers and communities of color petitioned Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today to ban the use of occupation and education to set auto insurance premiums. Many California auto insurance companies charge lower-income and less-educated drivers up to 15% more in order…
February 17, 2019 Their Home Survived The Camp Fire — But Their Insurance Did Not Tom and Tamara Conry were dead set on returning to Paradise after the deadly Camp Fire destroyed the town last November. The couple’s home was barely touched by the fire, and most other survivors had a much steeper climb to recovery. But when their property…
September 6, 2018 Press Release: Wildfire-impacted households face emotions, decisions at the one-year mark: Help is available, survey underway SAN FRANCISCO, CA – September 6, 2018 – United Policyholders (UP), a nonprofit insurance consumer organization, will offer guidance to wildfire-impacted households on navigating deadlines, decisions and emotions at the one-year anniversary of their devastating losses at a free workshop. UP is also asking all…
September 4, 2018 CA legislature enacts helpful insurance reforms The California legislature, after hard work by North Bay lawmakers, the Department of Insurance, concerned citizens, and United Policyholders enacted several useful insurance-related bills this session that are awaiting the Governor’s signature. Although retroactivity provisions were removed, (which means victims of the 2017 wildfires can only use them indirectly as…
June 6, 2018 California Supreme Court Finds Valid Insurance Coverage Claim Even If Employee Intentionally Caused Injury The California Supreme Court has ruled that when a third party sues an employer for the negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of an employee who intentionally injured that third party, the suit can allege an “occurrence” under the employer’s commercial general liability insurance policy. The…
May 4, 2018 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…
March 25, 2018 Wildfire Mitigation & Insurance Project If you take action to make your home less likely to be seriously damaged or destroyed in a wildfire, your insurance company should reward you with a discount on your premium … or at the very least keep you as a customer and not drop…
October 26, 2017 Fire survivors reunite to mark 10th anniversary A “low-key” reunion of more than 130 Witch Creek fire survivors and recovery coalition members was held Sunday to mark the wildfire’s 10th anniversary. “This is a celebration of homecoming and friendship,” Jan Rasmussen told attendees. She was co-chair of Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church’s…
October 25, 2017 Upfront: Fair Questions High-risk fire insurance pool grapples with new normal of urban wildfires Homeowners insurance is not mandated by the state of California, but is a requirement for anyone who wants to get a home mortgage from a bank. As the historic North Bay fires are brought…
October 22, 2017 Public adjusters can help consumers with fire claims, but tread cautiously People who lost homes in the Wine Country fires might be approached by public adjusters offering to represent them in their insurance claims. While some disaster victims have had good experiences with public adjusters, consumer advocates and the California Department of Insurance warn against rushing…
August 10, 2017 Insurers must pay even if home damage exceeds property value Insured homeowners in California whose homes have been badly damaged, but not destroyed, are entitled to coverage for the cost of repairing them, even if that cost far exceeds the property’s market value, under a ruling that has now become final. The state Supreme Court…
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…
March 15, 2017 Fire Safe Council gathering data on homeowner’s insurance – Take the survey NEVADA CITY, Calif. March 15, 2017 – The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County FSCNC) is participating in the State’s Tree Mortality Task Force. Our local group is looking to gather data to make a case that insurance companies are not following state law when…
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.
