February 7, 2023 The Best Time to Plan for Your Funeral? At Your Wedding. My marriage to Eli was an unceremonious affair. We both got off work early on a Friday afternoon and drove to the courthouse to say “I do” before it closed at 5 p.m. It was summer 2020 and COVID-19 was raging, so we donned face…
February 6, 2023 Policyholders Counting on Calif. High Court for COVID Loss Claims Courts around the nation have held that SARS-CoV-2 cannot cause direct physical damage or loss to property, but policyholder advocates are hoping the California Supreme Court will turn the tide. In a case that pits a concert organizer against its insurer, United Policyholders argues that…
February 3, 2023 Creak! Crackle! Pop! Does insurance cover fallen tree branches? Are you hearing unexpected cracking sounds from outside? Texas tree branches have been crashing under the weight of ice. If one falls on your house or car, use these tips: Take photos of the damage before you move the tree, make repairs, or take other…
January 31, 2023 Winter storm recovery and insurance: Baby, it’s cold… Collecting insurance funds to pay for damage from heavy rains and localized flooding can be tricky. Insurers have been excluding floods in standard home policies since the 1960s, but the cost of repairing damage from water intrusion due to wind-driven rain, fallen trees, flying debris,…
January 30, 2023 Catch UP on water and mold damage with Kris Griffith In this Catch UP segment, restoration and remediation contractor Kristofer Griffith of Anderson Group International shares insights on water and mold damage repairs and insurance.
January 24, 2023 Businesses and Residents Hope for Post-Storm Relief Costs continue to add up even with assistance from FEMA and flood insurance When Watsonville resident Amy Thomas reached out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for help, she had already paid thousands of dollars to repair damages caused by a spate of recent…
January 23, 2023 Devastated by storms and denied by insurance, Lompico residents navigate uncertain recovery Since a colossal New Year’s Eve storm caused part of the hillside that his house sits on to collapse, Benjamin Short has been in a constant daily battle to save his home. The Dec. 31 storm and waves of atmospheric rivers that hit Santa Cruz…
January 23, 2023 After the Storm: Insurance and recovery tips for wind-driven rain, flooding and storm damage 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 along with the 2023 Winter Storm Disaster Recovery…
January 20, 2023 Video: Why few California homeowners have flood insurance Something doesn’t compute. Some 32 trillion gallons of rain and snow has fallen in California since Christmas. Yet, only about 2% of properties are covered against flooding, according to the Associated Press. Thats means only 230,000 homes and other buildings have flood insurance policies, which…
January 20, 2023 Damaged by the Santa Cruz storms? Tips from the pros on how to deal with insurance Just days after the end of a historic series of damaging storms, Santa Cruz County residents are trying to pick up the pieces. One of those pieces is navigating the world of insurance. To help residents get started, several local organizations have hosted information sessions…
January 20, 2023 California just got slammed with a series of severe storms but only about 2% of properties are covered by flood insurance On Sunday morning, Kyle Starks woke up to floodwaters that reached the door of his Jeep after yet another heavy rain storm drenched California. Emergency crews showed up with boats to float Starks and other residents of his rural mobile home park in Acampo to…
January 19, 2023 Financial help available for California storm victims, but it can be difficult to get Soon after President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for the areas of California besieged by a series of atmospheric river storms on Jan. 9—a move that allowed victims to request financial help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency—Watsonville resident Amy Thomas reached out to…
January 17, 2023 Deciding to Rebuild After a Fire Is Just the First Step Four years after the devastating Woolsey fire, Malibu residents who lost everything are still waiting for approvals, and contending with complicated mortgage and insurance processes, underlining what starting over really costs. To step into Barbara Ferris’s new house, you have to first grapple with what…
January 16, 2023 California Court Gives Policyholders a Boost: Appellate Panel Publishes Pro-Policyholder COVID-19 Decision This is the case of Shusha Inc. v. Century-National Insurance Co., in the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Second Appellate District. A recent decision by a California state appellate panel has given hope to policyholders seeking insurance coverage for their COVID-19-related losses.…
January 16, 2023 Insurance denied: More Coloradans can’t get homeowner’s insurance because of wildfire risk More and more Colorado homeowners across the state are being denied homeowners insurance because of wildfire risk. Now, the state insurance commissioner, state lawmakers, and homeowners are working together on a solution, as the insurance industry issues a warning. Colorado homeowners being denied insurance On…
January 13, 2023 Storm recovery: Find resources here as Santa Cruz County agencies, community groups scramble to coordinate Santa Cruz County community organizations and government agencies are scrambling to both respond to current urgent storm-related conditions as well as provide recovery resources. Several organizations and officials are providing info sessions on filing claims Thursday and Friday, starting at 4 p.m. each day, while…
January 13, 2023 Meetings educate public on insurance, resources after floods When filing an insurance claim for damage incurred during the recent storms, property owners are advised never to use the word “flood.” Insurance companies—driven by profit and therefore disinclined to part with their money—typically categorically deny claims for flood damage. That was among the advice…
January 12, 2023 Sneaky Ways Inflation Affects Your Money in 2023 By now, you’re probably familiar with the more obvious ways inflation affects your finances. Your money doesn’t go as far at the grocery store, for example. Credit card and other variable-rate debt is getting more expensive as the Federal Reserve raises short-term interest rates to…
