First Steps After a Tornado
First Steps After a Tornado

United Policyholders is a nonprofit organization that is a voice and an information resource for insurance consumers in all 50 states.  UP has helped guide disaster survivors on the road to recovery since 1991. Use this information with The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory…
Critter care is costly. Does pet insurance make sense?
Critter care is costly. Does pet insurance make sense?

Zoe the cat is 12 years old, and lost an eye to cancer and related complications last year. The total veterinary bill: $25,000. Zoe’s owners, Torrance residents Mike Superstein and Suzanne Erdelyi, paid the full amount because Zoe was uninsured. “I’ve had many many pets…
Sonoma County to talk fire insurance in Tuesday virtual town hall
Sonoma County to talk fire insurance in Tuesday virtual town hall

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore plans to host a virtual town hall Tuesday at 6 p.m. that’s expected to ignite much interest among homeowners — fire coverage and the lack thereof. “I’m hearing from a number of constituents — insureds with policies being pulled or…
How home insurance companies use drone aerial images to drop policies
How home insurance companies use drone aerial images to drop policies

United Policyholders told CBS 8 there’s been a dramatic increase in reports from customers getting dropped due to aerial images. Home insurance companies are taking inspections to new heights in determining whether to drop coverage or not. In the past, companies would send out inspectors…
How some home insurers use aerial imagery to determine coverage
How some home insurers use aerial imagery to determine coverage

Aerial images of property can wind up costing homeowners when it comes to insurance as some companies use them to determine whether a property is too risky to cover. Almost every building in the United States is being photographed by satellites or drones as part…
Thompson, Huffman Host Press Conference Addressing California Insurance Crisis
Thompson, Huffman Host Press Conference Addressing California Insurance Crisis

Santa Rosa – Today, Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and Jared Huffman (CA-02) were joined by realtors, home builders, agriculture leaders, insurance leaders, and fire survivors for a press conference at Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park in support of H.R. 7849, The Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act…
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis

Amid the ongoing insurance crisis in California, Allstate says it could soon resume writing new policies, though the move would come with some conditions. Allstate Insurance stopped writing new homeowners policies in California two years ago but says it may start offering them again if…
Allstate could resume issuing new home insurance policies in CA
Allstate could resume issuing new home insurance policies in CA

Allstate, one of California’s biggest home insurers, could resume writing new homeowner policies if the department of insurance approves rule changes. The company stopped writing new homeowner policies in late 2022 because of wildfire risk and the cost of rebuilding homes. Lenny Higgins of Santa…
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis

Amid the ongoing insurance crisis in California, Allstate says it could soon resume writing new policies, though the move would come with some conditions. Allstate Insurance stopped writing new homeowners policies in California two years ago but says it may start offering them again if…
Insurers Are Deserting Homeowners After Natural Disasters
Insurers Are Deserting Homeowners After Natural Disasters

As increasingly severe natural disasters ravage the South, insurance companies are abandoning clients, increasing premiums, and fighting regulation measures — forcing homeowners to fend for themselves in the wake of destruction. As Hurricane Ida approached New Orleans on a sticky August morning in 2021, Janet…
Climate Change Is Coming For Your Insurance
Climate Change Is Coming For Your Insurance

As Hurricane Ida approached New Orleans on a sticky August morning in 2021, Janet Tobias listened to the news, trying to decide if she should evacuate. While she packed, family members called to report they were stuck in fleeing traffic. Fueled by abnormally warm waters…
Insurance commissioner, Irwin address coverage issues
Insurance commissioner, Irwin address coverage issues

Homeowners are ‘worried and upset’ Area residents concerned about the declining availability of home insurance coverage got an update this month from the regulator tasked with salvaging California’s foundering market. Ricardo Lara, insurance commissioner since 2019, appeared with Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin for an April 4…
Aerial photos are leading to insurance non-renewals
Aerial photos are leading to insurance non-renewals

InsurTech may not be a buzz word at dinner parties, but it sure is in consumer advocate circles. Turns out, “disruptive” is not such a good thing for property owners and home values, especially with climate change in the mix. Today, insurance companies are using…
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?

In 2022, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced he would force companies to offer discounts to people who take specific steps to protect their homes from wildfires. It was part of an effort, he said at the time, to “reward the hard work that California consumers…
Insurers won’t renew some homes, citing risk of earthquake-induced fires. This map shows where
Insurers won’t renew some homes, citing risk of earthquake-induced fires. This map shows where

The magnitude 7.9 earthquake that struck San Francisco on April 18, 1906, toppled buildings, brought down power lines and fractured water mains. The front page of the Chronicle the next day read “San Francisco in ruins.” But 80% of the property damage, according to a…
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?

The discounts are for people who take actions to protect their homes and properties from wildfires. Read More.
More homeowners forced into California Fair Plan coverage
More homeowners forced into California Fair Plan coverage

‘Last resort’ fire insurance coverage is now going mainstream. CBS 8 is Working For You to get answers about the FAIR Plan, California’s fire insurance of last resort. Most people never hear about the California FAIR Plan until their homeowner’s insurance gets canceled. “It’s not…
Insurers Have Aerial Intel on 99% of US Homes
Insurers Have Aerial Intel on 99% of US Homes

More homeowners are being dropped based on drone photography The Wall Street Journal dives into the sticky topic of home insurance companies utilizing fly-by footage from drones, planes, and high-altitude balloons to assess properties. They report that the industry-funded Geospatial Insurance Consortium has aerial footage…