Finding (and keeping) fire insurance is headache for homeowners in California
Finding (and keeping) fire insurance is headache for homeowners in California

NPR’s Scott Simon speaks with Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, about the thousands of homeowners in California at risk of losing insurance as the risk of wildfires grow. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: It’s said there’s no such thing as fire season in the West…
Thwarting insurers’ campaign to duck interruption compensation obligations to businesses
Thwarting insurers’ campaign to duck interruption compensation obligations to businesses

Fill in the blank and you’ll understand the public relations campaign the insurance industry uses over and over to maintain record profits by shirking obligations to their premium-paying customers and pass the buck to  taxpayers: “If you make us pay ______ claims we’ll go bankrupt.” …
4 ways to fortify your finances against natural disaster
4 ways to fortify your finances against natural disaster

Along with preparing your home, having cash on hand, access to credit and the right insurance coverage are important in perilous times. Emergency preparedness experts recommend that you have a “go bag” and a “stay bin” for disasters: kits with supplies to help you survive…
UP shares our story for the 30th Anniversary of the Oakland / Berkeley Firestorm
UP shares our story for the 30th Anniversary of the Oakland / Berkeley Firestorm

United Policyholders was founded in 1991. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Oakland Berkeley Firestorm, UP’s Executive Director Amy Bach shared her story co-founding the nonprofit for the North Hills Phoenix Association Community Comeback: Then and Now video series. This video series delved into…
What Every Homeowner Should Know About Trampolines
What Every Homeowner Should Know About Trampolines

Are your kids begging for a trampoline? You’re not alone. Hundreds of thousands of backyard trampolines are sold in the U.S. every year, much to the delight of aspiring young acrobats across the country. But trampolines can also pose a risk to those young acrobats.…
What Consumers Should Do to Get Fair Claims Payments in the Wake of Hurricane Ida
What Consumers Should Do to Get Fair Claims Payments in the Wake of Hurricane Ida

Washington, D.C. — The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) today warned consumers to prepare to file claims for damage resulting from Hurricane Ida and offered tips on “how to get all you are entitled to from your insurance company.” CFA believes that Hurricane Ida will produce…
Liz Weston: Fortify your finances against natural disaster
Liz Weston: Fortify your finances against natural disaster

Emergency preparedness experts recommend that you have a “go bag” and a “stay bin” for disasters: kits with supplies to help you survive a few days if you have to evacuate your home or shelter in place. Preparing your finances for natural disasters is also smart. Having…
Family Of 5 Loses Home to Caldor Fire, Lender Failed To Pay Fire Insurance Premiums From Escrow Account
Family Of 5 Loses Home to Caldor Fire, Lender Failed To Pay Fire Insurance Premiums From Escrow Account

GRIZZLY FLATS (CBS13) – Does your lender pay your fire insurance premiums from an escrow account? Better double-check those payments are being made. A Grizzly Flats family who lost their home to the Caldor Fire learned their lender didn’t pay the fire insurance premiums after their…
Flood insurance revamp aims for fairer rates
Flood insurance revamp aims for fairer rates

A revamped U.S. flood insurance program going into effect this month will charge rates the federal government says better reflect a home’s risk, a change that could mean higher premiums for coastal mansions and — for the first time — reduced rates for others. The…
Thank you for getting Up to Good
Thank you for getting Up to Good

On Friday, October 1st, 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. With the jazz sounds of a Sonoma State student…
Call Kurtis: Lenders Fail To Pay Fair Plan Fire Insurance Policies
Call Kurtis: Lenders Fail To Pay Fair Plan Fire Insurance Policies

GRIZZLY FLATS (CBS13) — A military dad and his wife who lost their home to the Caldor Fire learned they weren’t insured and their lender didn’t pay their fire insurance bill. More fire victims are coming forward after our investigation saying the pair learned they…
Residents in high fire risk California zones cancelled, turned down by insurances
Residents in high fire risk California zones cancelled, turned down by insurances

Getting insurance has been a struggle for people residing in fire-risk areas, and for those who had got one were being priced out of their policies. Beth Quintana was among the residents who experienced the fire’s rage three years ago. In August 2018, the Holy…
Fire insurance policies: an endangered species
Fire insurance policies: an endangered species

SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. – With fire season now just peaking and plenty of weeks still to go, we have already racked up California’s worst ever fire season. On a regular basis, homeowners in the urban wildland interface are getting multiple shocks from massive insurance increases, less…
Why doesn’t homeowners insurance cover flood damage?
Why doesn’t homeowners insurance cover flood damage?

The remnants of Hurricane Nicholas are drenching Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana — including areas that have barely started recovering from Hurricane Ida. ​There has been a lot of flooding over the past couple of weeks from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast, and many homeowners…
Residents of Western States Face a Dry, Dangerous, Underinsured Future
Residents of Western States Face a Dry, Dangerous, Underinsured Future

As thousands lost everything, insurers have jacked up premiums—or fled altogether. When Steve Kress moved into an old ambulance he’d converted into a travel van some weeks ago, he’d started wearing a pin that reads “Since I gave up hope, I feel much better.” “It’s true…
The shrubs across the street nearly cost him his home insurance
The shrubs across the street nearly cost him his home insurance

It’s not yet common, but in high-risk fire neighborhoods, Berkeley Hills residents may find that keeping their home insurance depends on how well their neighbors prune their property. At the end of August, wildfire prevention advocate Dan Grassetti opened a letter from Allstate, his home’s…
Consumers Who Understand Insurance Coverage Can Save Money and Reduce Debt After Disasters
Consumers Who Understand Insurance Coverage Can Save Money and Reduce Debt After Disasters

In a Nutshell: Insurance is an essential product for those who want to safeguard their property. But the process of understanding and purchasing policies and making claims can be difficult for the average person. United Policyholders provides information and other resources to ensure consumers understand insurance practices and…
Fire insurance policies: an endangered species
Fire insurance policies: an endangered species

SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. – With fire season now just peaking and plenty of weeks still to go, we have already racked up California’s worst ever fire season. On a regular basis, homeowners in the urban wildland interface are getting multiple shocks from massive insurance…