City of Scotts Valley hosts wildfire preparedness, homeowners insurance workshop Tuesday
City of Scotts Valley hosts wildfire preparedness, homeowners insurance workshop Tuesday

City of Scotts Valley is hosting a free community Wildfire Preparedness and Homeowners Insurance Workshop on Tuesday, May 14, from 6-8pm at the Scotts Valley Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 251 Kings Village Road. This event is dedicated to educating the public on crucial measures…
Complaints dominate insurance forum
Complaints dominate insurance forum

Legislative remedy seems unlikely A forum organized by San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller last week to address California’s insurance crisis provided a lot of information about increasing costs and decreasing availability of home insurance, as well as an outlet for mounting consumer frustration. The…
Guest Column | Fifth District May Highlights: Community Events, Progress on Key Issues and Budget Talks
Guest Column | Fifth District May Highlights: Community Events, Progress on Key Issues and Budget Talks

May is shaping up to be busy in the Fifth District with several great community events and notable progress on important issues. On May 11, the 27th annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards will be at Scotts Valley High School. This is a special opportunity for…
No special session on home insurance is ‘truly disappointing,’ state Rep. Jervonte Edmonds says
No special session on home insurance is ‘truly disappointing,’ state Rep. Jervonte Edmonds says

‘Right now, it doesn’t look like Tallahassee is focused on the insurance crisis,’ Edmonds says Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear earlier this week that lawmakers will not be tackling any more issues in the near future. “I have no plans to call a…
State Farm denies renter’s claim for roof leak damages
State Farm denies renter’s claim for roof leak damages

A University City man wants moving and displacement expenses during repair work on his home. CBS 8 is Working for You to get answers after a University City man says State Farm denied his claim on a renter’s insurance policy. The man has to move…
How much will the insurance premium tax cut save policyholders?
How much will the insurance premium tax cut save policyholders?

‘I think that the legislature has done a lot of tinkering and I’m not sure we’re seeing great benefits come out of that,’ Amy Bach says The savings should start in October for homeowners insurance policyholders, as a one year cut in the tax on…
Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program
Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program

Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program even if they have not used up all their ALE/Loss of Use benefits. Generally, if you have homeowner or rental insurance, FEMA requires you to use all your insurance benefits before FEMA is able…
Small insurers are growing in Louisiana. Will more go insolvent after the next big storm?
Small insurers are growing in Louisiana. Will more go insolvent after the next big storm?

The dozen insurers that failed after two busy hurricane seasons left hundreds of thousands of Louisiana homeowners scrambling for new insurance policies at a time when premiums were soaring. A review of new state market share data and financial filings shows the void left by…
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…