Key questions to ask when shopping for homeowners insurance
Key questions to ask when shopping for homeowners insurance

If you haven’t shopped around for homeowners insurance, experts say you should You’ve heard it pays to shop around for homeowners insurance rates, but price is only part of the equation. Policies vary depending on coverage limits, deductibles and exclusions. Here are some key questions…
More insurance companies using drones to inspect homes, evaluate storm damage
More insurance companies using drones to inspect homes, evaluate storm damage

More insurance companies are using drones to survey storm damage and whether to write or renew homeowner’s insurance policies. But some consumer advocates say it can unfairly put a homeowner’s coverage at risk. More insurance companies are using drones to survey storm damage and whether…
How consumers can navigate insurance claims after storms
How consumers can navigate insurance claims after storms

Following damaging weekend storms, the weeks and months ahead will prove critical for the people impacted. Read on for key steps to get started. MEETING IMMEDIATE NEEDS Facing significant damage, consumers may need help covering the basics like temporary housing, food and clothing. “Check to…
Insurers Report Rising Hail Damage Claims
Insurers Report Rising Hail Damage Claims

Inflation is driving up the cost of materials and labor to repair roofs and cars. Adding to insurers’ costs is increased development in areas affected by severe storms. Golf balls, tennis balls, softballs. All sound like the stuff of fun games — except when they…
Texas Supreme Court Hears Arguments in a Case With Significant Implications for TWIA Policyholders
Texas Supreme Court Hears Arguments in a Case With Significant Implications for TWIA Policyholders

Yesterday, on February 21, 2024, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Texas Windstorm Insurance Association v. Stephen Pruski, Case No. 23-0447, in which Raizner Slania filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the non-profit organization United Policyholders. Uniquely for both United…
Bach Talk: An insured future depends on bold public/private innovation
Bach Talk: An insured future depends on bold public/private innovation

By Amy Bach, Executive Director, United Policyholders So far 2024 has brought more bad news for property owners, public officials, lenders and home builders on the insurance availability and affordability fronts with non-renewals, scant options and high premiums. Front page news across the country. Rate…
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…
Creak! Crackle! Pop! Does insurance cover fallen tree branches?
Creak! Crackle! Pop! Does insurance cover fallen tree branches?

Are you hearing unexpected cracking sounds from outside? Texas tree branches have been crashing under the weight of ice. If one falls on your house or car, use these tips: Take photos of the damage before you move the tree, make repairs, or take other…
It’s severe weather season in Texas — do you know where your homeowners insurance policy is?
It’s severe weather season in Texas — do you know where your homeowners insurance policy is?

If you tend to stuff your insurance policy away in a drawer or a file and not look at it for a year or more, it could cost you big. DALLAS — Wed., March 24 is an important date if you are eligible for a…
Insurance claims skyrocket as pipes burst from winter storm
Insurance claims skyrocket as pipes burst from winter storm

Even as power has flickered back on, the deep freeze San Antonio was cast into last week continues to cause problems in the form of burst pipes, collapsed roofs, and water damage. As costs begin to tally, many are utilizing thier homeowners insurance at predicted…
Now That The Winter Storm Has Passed, It’s Time To Start Filing Insurance Claims
Now That The Winter Storm Has Passed, It’s Time To Start Filing Insurance Claims

Disaster struck. So what happens next? First, stop the bleeding. That’s the advice Amy Bach gives — she’s a lawyer and president of United Policyholders, a nonprofit that advises consumers on insurance issues nationwide. That means: find a reputable repairman, patch bursting pipes, and get…
Insurance claims pile up after Texas’ devastating winter storm
Insurance claims pile up after Texas’ devastating winter storm

Insurers expect hundreds of thousands of claims from burst pipes and water damage after the winter storm that paralyzed Texas and other parts of the country. Claims are piling up in what could become the costliest weather event in Texas history. One analyst estimates there’ll…
Step away from the blowtorch…
Step away from the blowtorch…

The extreme cold, snow, and ice that swept across the U.S. in February 2021 is proof positive that closing the door on 2020 wasn’t a cure-all. If your home or business suffered damage due to freezing or bursting pipes or the weight of snow and ice on the…
Filing an Insurance Claim for Texas Storm Damage? Payouts Hinge on Policy Details
Filing an Insurance Claim for Texas Storm Damage? Payouts Hinge on Policy Details

When the snow and ice melt, many Texans will file insurance claims for the damage. Some will be annoyed that they get nothing for a freezer-full of spoiled meat, while others will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to get money to fix…
Right on the Money: Stats show your home is probably under-insured
Right on the Money: Stats show your home is probably under-insured

If you weren’t directly hit by the October tornadoes, they are a reminder to update your insurance coverage. Most homeowners are under-insured — and don’t know it DALLAS — In recent days we have seen the maps with arrows crisscrossing the Dallas area, showing where…
Be Prepared to Push Insurance Companies for Fair Treatment After Hurricane Harvey, UP Advises
Be Prepared to Push Insurance Companies for Fair Treatment After Hurricane Harvey, UP Advises

United Policyholders Offers Texans Free Home Inventory App, Provides Guidance to Residents for Before and After the Storm As Gulf Coast communities brace for Hurricane Harvey, the national insurance consumer non-profit United Policyholders UP) has a special message for Texans: “Be prepared to push for…
Texas Senate Bill 10 Would Adversely Affect All Insureds
Texas Senate Bill 10 Would Adversely Affect All Insureds

All Texas businesses should be concerned about the potential passage of Senate Bill 10 (SB 10). While several lawmakers tout SB 10 as tailored legislation to curb “hailstorm lawsuit abuse,” SB 10 is much broader and impacts all policyholders. Indeed, SB 10 fails to reference…
Aid may be available to repair or replace a vehicle damaged by April floods
Aid may be available to repair or replace a vehicle damaged by April floods

Texans whose vehicles were damaged or destroyed by this April’s flooding may be eligible to receive federal assistance to repair or replace the vehicle. “Those who may be eligible include not just residents of the designated counties, but also those who were working in or…