What a weekend!
What a weekend!

The UP Team was out and about on Saturday participating in three educational events in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego. In San Francisco, UP Executive Director Amy Bach and Staff Attorney Dan Wade joined the Consumer Attorneys of California at their Annual Convention. UP organized…
Bach Talk – Appropriately regulating Uber and Lyft
Bach Talk – Appropriately regulating Uber and Lyft

Residents of cities throughout the US now have the option to “Uber” or “Lyft” their way to a destination instead of taking a traditional taxicab.  These innovative, tech-sector start-up businesses are labeled “Transportation Network Companies”, (“TNCs”).  Initially, TNCs avoided having to comply with many of…
Sandy insurers may have falsely denied LIers’ claims, federal judge says
Sandy insurers may have falsely denied LIers’ claims, federal judge says

A federal judge on Long Island has ordered insurance companies to release thousands of documents used to deny superstorm Sandy flood claims, saying it appears engineers falsified reports to avoid paying homeowners. In a 27-page order, Magistrate Judge Gary Brown said an engineering firm hired…
Bach Talk – Biased expert reports plague policyholders
Bach Talk – Biased expert reports plague policyholders

United States Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown issued a very important decision in a Superstorm Sandy case in November, 2014 that addresses a chronic problem for the policyholders UP serves:  A practice by some insurers of rejecting damage claims based on engineering reports that have…
More than the minimum
More than the minimum

The case against purchasing only your state’s mandatory minimum liability insurance limits: Starting in the 1920s, all but one state in the United States (New Hampshire) have passed laws requiring that vehicle owners maintain automobile liability insurance to cover their liabilities for personal injuries or…
Governor’s request for Presidential Disaster Declaration for Puna lava flow approved
Governor’s request for Presidential Disaster Declaration for Puna lava flow approved

PAHOA, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) – In response to Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s Oct. 24 request for federal aid to supplement local emergency protective measures in response to the June 27th lava flow, President Barack Obama today signed a Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance.This will provide federal funding…
Bach Talk – The Powerful Voice of Experience
Bach Talk – The Powerful Voice of Experience

A backbone of our Roadmap to Recovery program are the volunteers and staff members who got involved with UP to make constructive use of the knowledge they themselves gained while navigating the recovery process after a catastrophic loss.  Our Survivor’s Speak publication series, workshop speakers…
Good News for Napa (and Solano) Earthquake Survivors
Good News for Napa (and Solano) Earthquake Survivors

A FEMA declaration for Individual and Household Assistance has finally been approved for Napa and Solano County earthquake survivors.  If you were affected by the earthquake and need assistance you will have 60 days from the October 27th declaration to apply with FEMA.  UP participated…
Who’s got home insurance discounts for you?
Who’s got home insurance discounts for you?

Just as car insurers dole out discounts to entice drivers, home insurance companies are willing to do the same for homeowners who do their part in mitigating loss. “It’s all about risk reduction,” says Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, a New…
Does Insurance Cover Ebola Care?
Does Insurance Cover Ebola Care?

Your chances of getting Ebola in the U.S. are very slim. But if you do, who’s footing the bill? Ebola care is pricey, with estimates ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 per day, according to several health care analysts and experts who spoke to TIME. Some…
Bach Talk – Helping policyholders adapt to climate change
Bach Talk – Helping policyholders adapt to climate change

“Public dollars also need to go to the equally important, though less glamorous projects and services that will help us prepare for the coming heavy weather.  That includes things like hiring more firefighters and improving storm barriers.  And it means coming up with new, nonprofit…
New Mexico fourth most expensive state for homeowners insurance claims
New Mexico fourth most expensive state for homeowners insurance claims

New Mexico is an extremely pricey state for homeowner’s insurance, according to a new study. The study, published by insurancequotes.com, looked at the rise in homeowners insurance premiums after making claims and found that the average premium for New Mexico policyholders rises by nearly 19…
Shake it UP
Shake it UP

“Out of sight out of mind, and I prefer it that way” is most Californians’ view of earthquakes. But the UP team sees disasters up close and personal and we know how a few simple preparedness steps can make the difference between recovery and ruin.…
Living in wildfire country? Make sure you clear a defensible space and update your insurance
Living in wildfire country? Make sure you clear a defensible space and update your insurance

There’s nothing like a mountain cabin for a great vacation getaway, a retirement home or simply a quiet and beautiful place to live. But the relaxed pace of living and the fresh scent of pine trees come with a risk — the threat of wildfires…
Live In a Multigenerational Home? Time to Revisit Your Insurance Coverage
Live In a Multigenerational Home? Time to Revisit Your Insurance Coverage

Boomerang kids – adult children moving back in with mom and dad while they save money or search for jobs – aren’t the only ones shacking up in spare bedrooms or basement suites. Rising nursing home costs have also caused many older Americans to move…
Fire, flood, mud: insurance benefits can vary greatly
Fire, flood, mud: insurance benefits can vary greatly

An estimated 45 percent of people who lost homes or property in the wildfires had no insurance, including almost all the renters. But the rest — in the midst of cleaning up debris, figuring out where they will live, buying new clothes, and coping with…
Divided opinions over value of earthquake insurance
Divided opinions over value of earthquake insurance

Tom Fuller could tell how well folks understood earthquake insurance once he mentioned that he has a policy for his damaged home in Napa. The uninitiated responded, “Well, you’re lucky.” The more knowledgeable said, “I hope you didn’t hit your deductible.” Fuller, a public relations…
Back home safe and sound
Back home safe and sound

We’ve worked a lot of disasters. But this month a hurricane hit too close to home. While on a well-deserved vacation in Mexico, our Program Coordinator was caught in the path of Hurricane Odile. After being stranded for 5 days without power, running water, cell…