Guest Blog: Will New York Ever Become a Bad Faith State?
Guest Blog: Will New York Ever Become a Bad Faith State?

Guest Blog by: Garrett J. Coleman J.D., Class of 2025, University of Virginia School of Law As it stands now, New York insureds have few options when they are wrongfully denied coverage or face unjustified delays from their insurers.  While New York does regulate the conduct of…
Where We Stand: A Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights
Where We Stand: A Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, combined with the rising cost of repairs and building materials, has destabilized the home insurance market. Homeowners increasingly face skyrocketing premium prices, and many are losing coverage as insurance companies pull out of regional markets altogether. At the…
Celebrating Inclusive Leadership in Action: A Spotlight on our 2025 Inclusive Leadership Award Finalists
Celebrating Inclusive Leadership in Action: A Spotlight on our 2025 Inclusive Leadership Award Finalists

At Greater Rochester Chamber, inclusion is not an initiative, it’s a foundation. It shapes how we lead, how we grow, and how we show up for our region. That’s why the Inclusive Leadership Award is one of the most meaningful honors we celebrate each year.…
Wildfire victims in limbo as fight with insurers hits another snag
Wildfire victims in limbo as fight with insurers hits another snag

After receiving more than 1,000 complaints from Jan. 7 fire victims about how insurers are handling their claims, state regulators are considering referring hundreds of the cases to mediation — a little used practice that some consumer advocates fear could hurt policyholders. The Department of…
Take these steps if your home or business could be damaged by NJ wildfires
Take these steps if your home or business could be damaged by NJ wildfires

As a wildfire fueled by drought near the New Jersey-New York border left an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter dead and burned through thousands of acres, forecasters are warning of an increased risk of spread throughout the week. The blaze, formally named the Jennings Creek wildfire, is…
Why Insurance Rates for New York Property Owners Are Soaring
Why Insurance Rates for New York Property Owners Are Soaring

Logan Browne thought he already experienced sticker shock from his Bushwick condo building’s insurance rate tripling last year. Then, this summer, the insurance company dropped the building, citing a “loss ratio” that Browne, the condo board president, said related to water damage claims in 2020…
Amy Bach and United Policyholders Raise Issues About Insurance Executives Taking Monies Through Excessive Payouts
Amy Bach and United Policyholders Raise Issues About Insurance Executives Taking Monies Through Excessive Payouts

Amy Bach‘s recent LinkedIn post yesterday highlighting concerns about excessive compensation in the insurance industry has struck a chord with many policyholders and consumer advocates. Bach raised these issues in a panel discussion at the American Academy of Actuaries. Her observations are particularly pertinent to…
Why Insurance Rates for New York Property Owners Are Soaring
Why Insurance Rates for New York Property Owners Are Soaring

Policies are harder to find and costlier when they are available for homeowners who are struggling to stay above water. Logan Browne thought he already experienced sticker shock from his Bushwick condo building’s insurance rate tripling last year. Then, this summer, the insurance company dropped…
Why Insurance Rates for New York Property Owners Are Soaring
Why Insurance Rates for New York Property Owners Are Soaring

Policies are harder to find and costlier when they are available for homeowners who are struggling to stay above water. Logan Browne thought he already experienced sticker shock from his Bushwick condo building’s insurance rate tripling last year. Then, this summer, the insurance company dropped…
How Hurricane Helene could have widespread consequences for homeowners
How Hurricane Helene could have widespread consequences for homeowners

When Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida on Thursday night, it made landfall in the state’s sparsely populated Big Bend, far from the glittering cities with expensive waterfront property to the south. But that didn’t stop Helene from becoming another multibillion-dollar superstorm. The hurricane’s massive size…
Aerial photos are leading to insurance non-renewals
Aerial photos are leading to insurance non-renewals

InsurTech may not be a buzz word at dinner parties, but it sure is in consumer advocate circles. Turns out, “disruptive” is not such a good thing for property owners and home values, especially with climate change in the mix. Today, insurance companies are using…
New York court to hear critical COVID business insurance case
New York court to hear critical COVID business insurance case

New York’s highest court is set to preside over a restaurant’s COVID-19 business interruption case that could have widespread ramifications for businesses and insurers in the state and further afield should the court veer away from a US-wide trend of insurer pandemic business income victories.…
What New York homeowners and renters should know about flood insurance.
What New York homeowners and renters should know about flood insurance.

Standard homeowners’ and renters’ policies don’t cover damages that can be caused by the kind of heavy rains that hit New York City on Friday. It’s an unfortunate fact: Standard homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies don’t cover damages caused by flooding. People who live in…
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…
Thousands of homes damaged by Sandy remain uninsured
Thousands of homes damaged by Sandy remain uninsured

Thousands of Long Island homes damaged by superstorm Sandy are still not covered by flood insurance, leaving much of the region dependent on government aid if another catastrophe hits, a Newsday analysis of federal data has found. Since the 2012 storm, the number of properties…
FEMA’s Sandy Flood Insurance Review Taking Longer Than Expected
FEMA’s Sandy Flood Insurance Review Taking Longer Than Expected

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s review of Superstorm Sandy flood insurance claims is taking longer than expected, with fewer than 200 checks issued. FEMA announced in March the review for as many as 142,000 claims after homeowners complained they were shortchanged. A FEMA official expected…
How Hurricane Sandy created ‘the perfect storm’
How Hurricane Sandy created ‘the perfect storm’

Three years after Hurricane Sandy swept up the East Coast, homeowners are still working to collect money for the damage they sustained. It has been a long and frustrating fight for many. Media reports highlighted their efforts and some accused insurers and engineers of colluding…
Capitol Pressroom
Capitol Pressroom

Amy Bach, the executive director of United Policyholders, looks at a report that shows property insurers have reaped higher-than-average profits in New York State despite losses from major weather events like Superstorm Sandy. Bach argues New York insurance law is crafted in a way that…