Record number of residents rebuilding high-performance homes after Marshall Fire
Record number of residents rebuilding high-performance homes after Marshall Fire

41% rebuilding to standards that earn incentives for energy efficiency Boulder County, Colo.- Record numbers of residents impacted by the Marshall Fire are choosing to rebuild high-performance homes that use less energy and little to no fossil fuel energy. 41% of homes that have been…
Tips To Help Consumers Get Fair Insurance Treatment After Hurricane Ian
Tips To Help Consumers Get Fair Insurance Treatment After Hurricane Ian

Insurers and Public Officials Must Ensure Consumer Claims Get Paid in Full Washington, DC – Today Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and United Policyholders (UP) shared resources to help consumers get their wind and flood insurance claims paid promptly, fully, and fairly in the wake of Hurricane…
Food manufacturer may amend COVID business interruption suit
Food manufacturer may amend COVID business interruption suit

An organic and vegetarian food manufacturer should be allowed to amend its COVID-19 business interruption lawsuit to allege coverage under its communicable disease policy provision, a California appeals court has ruled, in overturning a lower court ruling that dismissed the case. Petaluma, California-based Amy’s Kitchen…
Who can home and business owners impacted by Hurricane Ian trust?
Who can home and business owners impacted by Hurricane Ian trust?

The amount of destruction, dislocation and loss of life caused by Hurricane Ian is still being calculated, but it’s horrendous, record-breaking and very sad.  Wind damage is bad enough, but when combined with water, repairs are challenging and drying out is essential.  Qualified and reputable…
Apply for FEMA Assistance
Apply for FEMA Assistance

Check if Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made an individual assistance declaration in your area. If so, disaster assistance may be able to fill insurance gaps or provide help if you’ve been waiting more than 30 days on a homeowner’s claim. United Policyholders encourages all…
Much of the damage from Hurricane Ian will be from flooding, but will homeowners be covered?
Much of the damage from Hurricane Ian will be from flooding, but will homeowners be covered?

Ian has now regained hurricane strength after exiting the state of Florida. It’s now threatening the Carolinas. A lot of destruction from the storm is from water. Massive storm surges inundated cities and towns along the Gulf Coast, and there’s been heavy rain across much…
Avoiding post-loss scams
Avoiding post-loss scams

Sad to say, there are opportunistic people who have refined the art of going into areas hit by disasters and peddling a range of scams. Knowing victims are vulnerable, stressed, and in need of repair and rebuilding help and good news, these people take advantage.…
Vermont High Court: COVID Virus, Like Cat Urine, Can Cause Physical Loss
Vermont High Court: COVID Virus, Like Cat Urine, Can Cause Physical Loss

Citing decisions that found insurance coverage was owed for contamination caused by cat urine and gasoline vapors, the Vermont Supreme Court broke from courts across the nation and found that SARS-CoV-2 can cause a direct physical loss to property. The 3-2 decision released Friday revived…
Vermont high court first to rule in policyholders’ favor in COVID litigation
Vermont high court first to rule in policyholders’ favor in COVID litigation

The Vermont Supreme Court on Friday became the first state high court to rule in policyholders’ favor in COVID-19-related business interruption litigation, holding in a divided ruling that the virus may have caused direct physical damage. The 3-2 ruling in Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. et…
How Do You Solve a Problem Like California?
How Do You Solve a Problem Like California?

California has a wildfire crisis. Arguably, the entire Western United States has a wildfire crisis, but California’s crisis is of an entirely different magnitude. California also has a homeowners insurance crisis. That crisis began in 2019, when nonrenewals of residential policies in the state grew…
UP and WRAP partners testify before Congress on insurance challenges and progress in wildfire-prone states
UP and WRAP partners testify before Congress on insurance challenges and progress in wildfire-prone states

On September 22, 2022, in invited testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, Executive Director Amy Bach presented consumer viewpoints and initiatives that are underway to restore affordable insurance options for property owners in wildfire-prone regions.…
Does car insurance go down at 25?
Does car insurance go down at 25?

Car insurance rates for young drivers can be eye-wateringly expensive, but does your car insurance premium decrease when you turn 25? Based on Bankrate’s study of average premiums, potentially yes. The average cost of car insurance for 25 year olds is $2,176 per year for…
We got UP to Good! Thank you for supporting United Policyholders
We got UP to Good! Thank you for supporting United Policyholders

On Friday, September 9th, 2022, wildfire survivors, public officials and generous businesses and individuals gathered outdoors at the elegant and historic Buena Vista Winery to raise funds for the our Roadmap to Recovery, Preparedness and Advocacy programs.   Funds raised in connection with this event…
New rule aims to help California homeowners dropped by insurance companies over wildfire risk
New rule aims to help California homeowners dropped by insurance companies over wildfire risk

Rita Tanner noted that she did much of what state officials have asked of California homeowners to better fireproof their homes. She and her husband put on a new fire-resistant roof in January and have cleared the defensible space around their home along Calistoga Road…
Will new regulations do enough to keep homeowners from losing fire insurance?
Will new regulations do enough to keep homeowners from losing fire insurance?

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KGO) — Homeowners in California who live in a high-risk fire zones could find it easier to get their home policies renewed. That’s if new state regulations work as intended. Not everyone is convinced it will work. John Campos says he’s done…
Guest Blog: Florida Joins the Reinsurance Business
Guest Blog: Florida Joins the Reinsurance Business

As Florida residents, we learn to expect rain on our parade. But Florida policyholders are enduring rising insurance premiums and a drought in available insurance while lawmakers deliver mixed results. Why is this happening? REINSURANCE An insurance rating company, Demotech Inc., recently reviewed Florida’s legislative…
CDI Regulations Moving Forward
CDI Regulations Moving Forward

United Policyholders is pleased to share the news that the California Department of Insurance has now announced its intention to formally move forward with its proposed “Mitigation in Rating Plans and Wildfire Risk Models” regulations.  Once formally adopted, the regulations will legally require insurers to…
Commissioner Lara submits first-in-nation wildfire safety regulation to drive down cost of insurance
Commissioner Lara submits first-in-nation wildfire safety regulation to drive down cost of insurance

Strong support in public meetings and written testimony for requiring insurance companies to provide discounts to consumers under new Safer from Wildfires framework SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara submitted his insurance pricing regulation to the California Office of Administrative Law that would recognize…