Advocacy in Alabama
Advocacy in Alabama

Property owners in coastal areas in the southeastern United States and as far north as Massachusetts continue to struggle to find home insurance they can afford through a company they can trust. UP recently addressed this issue before Alabama Governor Bentley’s Affordable Homeowners Insurance Commission.…
Consumer Groups Denounce Attack on Consumer Watchdog
Consumer Groups Denounce Attack on Consumer Watchdog

Mercury Insurance is only beneficiary of smear campaign The latest attack on Consumer Watchdog proves that when you take on powerful corporate interests and beat them, you make enemies. Consumer Watchdog is a courageous and remarkably successful advocate for consumer rights. An attack dog website…
New York Probes Home Insurers
New York Probes Home Insurers

New York’s Department of Financial Services has been probing banks and insurance companies for allegedly obtaining excessive fees on homeowners’ policies that they force borrowers to pay for when their insurance lapses, said people familiar with the matter.Superintendent Benjamin M. Lawsky in the fall of…
What’s UP? ENews is Back!
What’s UP? ENews is Back!

Roadmap to Recovery Thanks to a grant from the Austin Community Foundation, UP is currently providing wildfire insurance recovery support services in Bastrop, Texas (a half hour southeast of Austin). The homes of thousands of families were destroyed or damaged in a fast-moving wildfire in…
After the disaster: Uninsured homeowners have little to fall back on
After the disaster: Uninsured homeowners have little to fall back on

The images of the tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires of 2011 remain seared in our memories. You might live in one of the areas battered by weather tragedies. Or you might have frantically checked on friends and relatives who were affected by natural disasters.…
Life… consider the alternative
Life… consider the alternative

If you’re thinking about buying or updating a life insurance policy, or supplementing one your employer provides, your first task should be to find a reputable, experienced broker. Even the most traditional life insurance policies can have a “catch” – be it premiums that skyrocket…
New rules help CA homeowners with insurance
New rules help CA homeowners with insurance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. KGO) — If a disaster strikes, is your home fully insured? New rules are now in effect to make sure you’re covered. 7 On Your Side’s Michael Finney explains. You pay for insurance for years, hoping to never need it. Then, there’s a…
Is your independent insurance agent truly an independent agent?
Is your independent insurance agent truly an independent agent?

It’s no secret that independent insurance agents — who sell auto, home and other types of coverage from more than one insurer — earn their keep through a commission each time a customer signs up for a policy. After all, they need to be compensated…
Consumer Groups Speak Their Piece on Regulation to FIO
Consumer Groups Speak Their Piece on Regulation to FIO

Consumer representatives to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners say in a letter to the Federal Insurance Office that effective insurance regulation requires greater transparency and substantive regulation.The letter also says that insurance regulation through market competition “would be inadequate,” and adds that regulatory modernization…
Insurers setting the stage for rate hikes
Insurers setting the stage for rate hikes

Insurers stress ’11 a costly year, suggest rate hikes aheadBy ANITA LEE – calee@sunherald.comRecord insured losses globally in 2011 mean insurance companies will pay more for their own policies, called reinsurance, which is expected to lead to higher property insurance rates for policyholders.Representatives of Munich…
Take Advantage of UP
Take Advantage of UP

As another busy year winds to a close, take a moment to browse UP’s new website and take advantage of all we have to offer: A “Deals and Discounts” section where you’ll find discounts on Home Improvement items, Earthquake Kits and Green Cleaning Products that…
How to Do a “Needs Analysis” Before you Buy Life Insurance
How to Do a “Needs Analysis” Before you Buy Life Insurance

When buying life insurance, don’t choose a policy before you understand the financial needs of your beneficiaries. Damon Bates, a vice president at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., says most people’s thinking is backwards when it comes to life insurance. They decide on the product…
Insurance Reform Legislation
Insurance Reform Legislation

UP and wildfire survivors applaud policyholder protection legislation introduced in Colorado. United Policyholders is in our second year helping Boulder residents who were impacted by the September, 2010 “Fourmile Canyon” Wildfire. Through a series of educational workshops, outreach and services in coordination with Fourmile Fire…
David Baria celebrates victory after grueling campaign season
David Baria celebrates victory after grueling campaign season

I am happy to be a resident of one of the best communities in the entire world,” a jubilant David Baria said last night at his victory party at Bay St. Louis’ 100 Men Hall after his successful bid to succeed long-time state legislator J.P.…
A Home-Insurance Trap?
A Home-Insurance Trap?

Home-insurance policies are pretty much the same, and carriers compete on the basis of price and service—right? Believe those two myths and you might wind up paying dearly. Homeowner policies have important differences that can affect whether claims are paid, according to a study scheduled…
Understanding endorsements and riders for home insurance policies
Understanding endorsements and riders for home insurance policies

In the insurance world, endorsements have nothing to do with celebrities promoting products, and riders have nothing to do with cowboys. “Endorsement” and “rider” are two interchangeable — and often misunderstood — terms referring to additions to a home insurance policy that alter the policy’s…
Saving on your insurance
Saving on your insurance

Everyone can use some extra money in their pocket during the holiday season. UP always encourages consumers to raise their deductible. Here are a few more tips for saving on your insurance from two members of our Agent/Broker Advisory Board: “Make sure you are taking…
Workshops help Boulder County homeowners find out if they’re underinsured
Workshops help Boulder County homeowners find out if they’re underinsured

Once the last embers of the Fourmile Fire were extinguished, the owners of the 169 burned homes were left with another challenge — wrangling with their insurance companies. The results of their efforts may serve as a cautionary tale to other homeowners in Boulder County…