Car flies into Placer County home, couple reportedly left in limbo with insurance
Car flies into Placer County home, couple reportedly left in limbo with insurance

PLACER COUNTY – A Placer County couple found themselves living in a trailer on their property after a car flew into the second story of their home last weekend. Turns out, that is not the only surprise they’re facing. After a painstakingly long process to…
Dehumanizing and Traumatic: Underinsurance Following a Major Disaster Can Be a Daunting Hill to Climb Alone
Dehumanizing and Traumatic: Underinsurance Following a Major Disaster Can Be a Daunting Hill to Climb Alone

Insurance companies have resisted changes to the industry that would benefit survivors of natural disasters, making it more difficult for homeowners facing this dire situation. The second moment of trauma There is another looming moment not often talked about that comes in the wake of…
Catch UP on a fallen tree insurance claim with Evan Walker
Catch UP on a fallen tree insurance claim with Evan Walker

In this Catch UP segment, insurance law attorney Evan Walker shares his expertise on insurance claims and fallen tree damage.
How homeowners can protect their investment from a tornado
How homeowners can protect their investment from a tornado

In aftermath of the deadly tornadoes that ripped across parts of the Midwest and South this week, homeowners may rightfully be nervous about whether they are financially protected against potentially devastating storms. The last three years have had the highest insured losses on record from…
Was your home damaged in a tornado? Here’s what to do next
Was your home damaged in a tornado? Here’s what to do next

Deadly storms in the past two weeks have unleashed dozens of tornadoes in the United States, mainly in the South and Midwest, killing at least 63 people and damaging or destroying hundreds of people’s homes. This year’s early severe weather, especially in the Midwest, is…
A Timely New Tool From a UP Partner
A Timely New Tool From a UP Partner

Patient, informed shopping has never been more important than in today’s property insurance marketplace. Consumers face a triple threat: Protection gaps, deductibles and premiums are all sharply increasing. This is happening due to financial trends, insurtech, disasters linked to climate change and insurers’ strategies to…
Right on the Money: Will this claim make my insurance go up?
Right on the Money: Will this claim make my insurance go up?

When it’s springtime in Texas, that question gets asked a lot. Some answers and advice about property damage and insurance. Because I do so many housing stories, I decided to hit a really large stack of books and go through the Texas real estate agent…
Floods, Fires … and Home Insurance Claims
Floods, Fires … and Home Insurance Claims

Here’s a scary statistic: About 70 percent of homeowners who filed claims after the 2020 California wildfires reported problems with their insurer, including difficulty getting claims paid, according to a survey by United Policyholders, a nonprofit that advises consumers on insurance claims. That’s just one…
Just when we need it, almost no one in California has flood insurance
Just when we need it, almost no one in California has flood insurance

As rain continues to pummel the state, Californians are facing a grim reality. Storms have caused billions of dollars in damages, yet only a fraction is covered by insurance, leaving homeowners to pay out of pocket for repairs. It can run in hundreds of thousands…
Insurance consumer advocate group unveils state-by-state guide to insurance legal rights
Insurance consumer advocate group unveils state-by-state guide to insurance legal rights

For Immediate Release:  March 13, 2023 Contact: Amy Bach, Executive Director SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2023 – United Policyholders (UP), a national insurance consumer advocacy non-profit, today announced a major expansion of its services. Insurance company claim adjusters are required to know and follow the…
Floods, Fires… and Home Insurance Claims
Floods, Fires… and Home Insurance Claims

Collecting on your policy after a disaster can be another ordeal. These tips could help smooth the process Here’s a scary statistic: About 70 percent of homeowners who filed claims after the 2020 California wildfires reported problems with their insurer, including difficulty getting claims paid,…
UP alerts CA legislators to proceed with caution on insurers’ wish list
UP alerts CA legislators to proceed with caution on insurers’ wish list

California consumers have long enjoyed the benefits of property insurance premium savings thanks to the voter-enacted Proposition 103 rate regulation regime, and insurers have long decried that regime. United Policyholders generally focuses on helping consumers get treated fairly by insurers, avoid and solve coverage gaps,…
Is Your Car Insurance Due for a Tune Up?
Is Your Car Insurance Due for a Tune Up?

Why pay for comprehensive coverage on your car? To save money, many people drop both comprehensive and collision coverage as their cars age. However, ask anyone whose car has been damaged or totaled in severe weather…If your auto policy includes comprehensive coverage, insurance kicks in.…
Catch UP on replacement cost estimates with Matt Everson and Bill Wallace
Catch UP on replacement cost estimates with Matt Everson and Bill Wallace

In this Catch UP segment, CA construction experts Matt Everson and Bill Wallace, authors of “The Claim Game” share how they helped wildfire-impacted homeowners get accurate rebuild estimates in order to negotiate fair claim settlements with insurance companies.  
How to Prepare For a Hurricane and Other Natural Disasters
How to Prepare For a Hurricane and Other Natural Disasters

It’s natural to worry about the effect of wildfires, floods and other natural disasters on your home. Get ready for whatever might come your way. As a resident of storm-prone central Florida for close to 40 years, Rich Franco is prepared for pretty much anything…
Do You Rent? Take These Steps To Prep Before The Next Quake
Do You Rent? Take These Steps To Prep Before The Next Quake

A big earthquake could strike Southern California at any time. If you’re a renter, you need to take steps to make surviving and rebuilding your life a bit easier. At the bare minimum Check out FEMA’s earthquake prep list and buy earthquake supplies. Protect yourself…
Marin lawmaker aims to protect home insurance for seniors in fire-prone areas
Marin lawmaker aims to protect home insurance for seniors in fire-prone areas

A bill introduced by Assemblymember Damon Connolly of San Rafael would prohibit home insurance providers from dropping coverage for seniors living in high fire-risk areas and would cap premium hikes. The bill, AB 478, would forbid insurance providers from dropping policies for residents 65 and…
Gentrification by Fire
Gentrification by Fire

The West’s new climate is exacerbating housing inequality in the quintessentially blue state of California Climate change and its most extreme consequences are pushing up the price of homes throughout much of the American West, as fires and flooding carve into existing housing stock and…