Short-changed by insurance, Sandy victims fight back
Short-changed by insurance, Sandy victims fight back

ASBURY PARK, N.J. — Since they bought their oceanfront home in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., 12 years ago, Carla and Vincent Vitale have spent almost $100,000 on insurance premiums. So when flood waters from Superstorm Sandy damaged the heating and electrical systems, they weren’t worried.…
Underpayment on FEMA flood insurance after Superstorm Sandy
Underpayment on FEMA flood insurance after Superstorm Sandy
Fire victims battle with insurance companies
Fire victims battle with insurance companies

Nine months after the Black Forest fire, property owners are still fighting with insurance companies to pay for damages. To help fire victims file claims and handle disputes, United Policyholders hosted a “Roadmap to Recovery” meeting at Woodmen Valley Chapel in El Paso County Thursday…
How even good credit can be used against you
How even good credit can be used against you

ORLANDO, Fla. — Could a small change in your credit report trigger a big increase in your car insurance bill? An Orlando man claims he has a great credit score but when he had a minor change his premium jumped by nearly $1,000 a year.…
Guidance for businesses on buying Cyber Liability insurance
Guidance for businesses on buying Cyber Liability insurance

ISO’s 2014 Data Breach Exclusion EndorsementsPerhaps a large majority of all businesses are subject to data breach liability whereby someone steals or makes unauthorized use of personal or confidential information, often of customers. Such data breaches have resulted in lawsuits and government sanctions. While most…
Getting UP to business: Read ’em and leak
Getting UP to business: Read ’em and leak

UP helps home and business owners and the two sectors have a lot in common when it comes to insurance. Both pay quite a bit of money for the insurance protection they count on as a financial safety net. And though some businesses are experienced in nuances of policy…
Cyber Liability and Insurance
Cyber Liability and Insurance
Flood Ebbs, Insurance Woes Don’t
Flood Ebbs, Insurance Woes Don’t

The mayor of Hoboken, N.J., isn’t the only one complaining that her Hurricane Sandy relief money has been held hostage. Some homeowners whose properties were damaged by the storm would say the same about their flood insurance carriers: More than a year after the hurricane…
How Much Health Insurance Should You Have?
How Much Health Insurance Should You Have?

The short answer: enough to help you and your family weather an unexpected illness or injury and/or manage chronic health conditions without undue financial hemorrhaging. “You know you’ll likely need something, even if you’re a totally healthy person,” says Amy Bach, executive director of United…
How Much Life Insurance Should You Buy?
How Much Life Insurance Should You Buy?

How much life insurance do you need? The answer depends on several factors, including your age, the ages of your spouse and children, your income, your mortgage and other debts, college expenses for your children and/or spouse, and the size of the last bill you’ll…
Need life insurance? Consider these options for financial protection
Need life insurance? Consider these options for financial protection

When you die, will your family be financially protected? That question remains unanswered by about 95 million Americans living without life insurance, says Marvin Feldman, president and CEO of the LIFE Foundation, a nonprofit based in Arlington, Va., that provides insurance resources for consumers. It’s…
Roof insurance: ACV versus replacement cost
Roof insurance: ACV versus replacement cost

If you live in one of the states hardest hit by wind and hail damage these past few years, you may have a gaping hole in your roof insurance coverage without even knowing it. A string of unusually costly years for roof damage claims in…
Northridge Earthquake Anniversary: Despite retrofits, are homes any safer now?
Northridge Earthquake Anniversary: Despite retrofits, are homes any safer now?

The 1994 Northridge earthquake — which shook Southern California 20 years ago Friday — caused $20 billion in damage, much of that to buildings. About 82,000 residential and commercial units were affected. Some homes were outright destroyed because they were not bolted to their foundations,…
How to Get Your Insurance Claim Paid
How to Get Your Insurance Claim Paid

When emergencies like car accidents, medical scares or house fires strike, filing an insurance claim may not be top of mind. But once the dust settles and the bills start pouring in, many consumers are relieved to know that insurance could help protect them against…
Buy, Rebuild or Cash Out
Buy, Rebuild or Cash Out

To help all El Paso County residents with insurance questions United Policyholders, an experienced non-profit consumer group, will be hosting another one of its nationally recognized “Roadmap to Recovery” workshops from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9. This workshop is entitled “Buy, Rebuild…
When dents in your credit hit your car insurance rates
When dents in your credit hit your car insurance rates

You may or may not think it’s fair that your credit history could play a key role in setting your auto-insurance premiums – a long-running debate in insurance regulation, though a battle that insurers so far appear to have won. Only a handful of states…
Work from home? TCB
Work from home? TCB

Thanks to the Internet, FedEx, Priority Mail and UPS – more and more people are avoiding the drag of commuting by working from home. If you’re one of the estimated 43 million Americans in this mode – you’ll want the right insurance in place. You…
What’s UP? January 2014
What’s UP? January 2014

We have dived in to another year of working hard and being useful throughout the nation.  We’ve got six disaster recovery and two preparedness workshops coming up in February, amicus briefs, reports and new buyers’ guides in production.  Our newWhat’s UP with Renter’s Insurance is now available in…