2020 California Wildfires – Insurance Claim and Recovery Help
Through our Roadmap to Recovery program you can access free, trustworthy help navigating the process of returning to a wildfire damaged area, repairing and replacing damaged and destroyed property, and collecting all available insurance funds. 2020 wildfires impacted homes and businesses in many regions throughout California, and our tips and support will be useful in all of them.
If your property is damaged or destroyed, our guidance will help you get started on the road to recovery, make good decisions and keep moving forward. United Policyholders is non-profit and has expertise based on nearly three decades of assisting in communities hit by wildfires. Our staff, disaster veteran and professional volunteers and our partnerships with public, private and non-profit partners will help lighten your load. We’re rooting for you and here to help. No strings attached.
DEBRIS FLOW ALERT: Wildfire-impacted areas are vulnerable to erosion, flooding and debris flow. Please check out guidance from your local government and UP’s tips on insurance considerations.
The following are selected items from the extensive library of resources we offer. Through our Roadmap to Recovery program you can access tips, tools and the straight scoop on insurance, clean up, contractors, lawyers, adjusters, avoiding ripoffs and mistakes, your legal rights and emotional support from people who genuinely care about helping you navigate successfully. You’ll also find links below to recordings of Roadmap to Recovery workshops specifically aimed at 2020 wildfire impacted households.
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Taking it in and Getting Started
TIP: If you lost your home in the wildfire, when you file your insurance claim, be sure to ask for a cash advance to help you get situated. Because this is a “California declared disaster” you should get a cash advance of 25% of your contents limit and 4 months of your “Additional Living Expense” coverage. Be sure to ask for it in writing (email counts). Your adjuster may be from out of State, so if you get pushback – you can show them this Bulletin from the California Department of Insurance.
FEATURED VIDEOS:
Resources General- First Steps After a Wildfire
- Primeros Pasos Despues de un Incendio Forestal
- Top 10 Insurance Claim Tips
- Sample Letter Requesting Complete Copy of Homeowners Policy
- A Simplified Guide to Your Homeowners Policy
- Planificacion de indemniz aciones después de un desastre
- Avoiding Frauds and Scams After a Disaster
- Insurance Lingo en Español
- Register with FEMA
- Fannie Mae Mortgage Help
- Planificacion de indemniz aciones después de un desastre
Resources Partial Loss - Arranging Temporary Housing
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Getting Organized, Informed and Empowered
FEATURED VIDEOS:
Resources General- Insurance Consumer Rights in California (2022)
- Organizing Carrier-Specific Disaster Survivor Groups
- FAQs about Home Insurance Claims in California
- Speak UP: How to communicate with your insurance company
- Renters Insurance Claim Tips (California)
- Insurance Claim Rules in California - 2020
- Permitting and title assistance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development
Resources Partial Loss - Getting Debris Removed
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Being Pro-active in Documenting and Valuing Your Losses
FEATURED VIDEOS:
Partial Losses/Standing Homes:
If your home was spared but was exposed to extreme heat and smoke, we offer specialized guidance on partial loss insurance claim issues related to proper cleaning, inspecting for damage, restoring healthy indoor air quality and repairing obvious as well as hidden damage.
FEATURED VIDEOS:
Resources General- Insurance Recovery Tips for the Dwelling Part of Your Claim
- The Scoop on “Scope” (of loss)
- Guidelines For Reviewing Adjusters’ And Contractors’ Estimates
- Xactimate Demystified
- Building Code, Ordinance or Law Compliance
- Survivors Speak: Estimating Your Loss
- Sample Letters and Documents
- Mobile / Manufactured Home Insurance Claim Tips
- Consejos para reclamos de seguros para casas móviles / fabricadas (California)
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Creating Your Home Inventory and Navigating Your Contents Claim
FEATURED VIDEOS:
Resources General- Home Inventory and Contents Claim Tips
- Sample Letter Asking for a Waiver of the Contents Itemization Requirement
- Sample Letter Asking for a Personal Property Claim Settlement
- Depreciation Basics
- Insurance Company Responses to Commissioner Lara’s 10/2/20 Notice re: Personal Property
- Sample Inventory/Personal Property Claim Worksheets (Excel doc)
Resources Partial Loss -
Making Housing and Financial Decisions
FEATURED VIDEOS:
- Taxes and financial decision-making after a wildfire loss – for 2020 CA wildfire survivors
- Taxing Matters for Wildfire-Impacted Households
- Options and Decision Points for Replacing Your Dwelling
- Options and Remedies for Underinsurance
$1 billion in mortgage relief funds are now available to California homeowners who have fallen behind on housing payments or property taxes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds do not have to be paid back and the program is free. Contact the California Mortgage Relief Program to see if you are eligible for this assistance.
Resources General- Underinsurance 101
- Survivors Speak: Coping With Underinsurance
- Tax Tips for Disaster Survivors
- Updating your home insurance after a loss...Staying protected without wasting money
- Sample Letter Requesting Extension of Deadlines to Collect Full Policy Benefits - CALIFORNIA DISASTER
- What to Do With Checks from Your Insurance Company
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Choosing a Contractor
Resources GeneralResources Total Loss
- Working with Your Mortgage Company
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Getting help if/when you need it
If you need help beyond insurance claim help, connect with a disaster case manager to help you develop a realistic long-term recovery plan. The disaster case manager helps identify and facilitate access to appropriate community resources that will support the plan. Disaster Case Management (DCM) is a time-limited, scope-limited intervention that provides disaster survivors with a single point of contact to access a broad range of programs, services, and resources to address disaster-caused unmet needs. Click here for more information.Resources General
- Taking Care of Yourself Along the Way