Insurers should be on the hook for Montecito mudslide damage, commissioner says
Insurers should be on the hook for Montecito mudslide damage, commissioner says

Montecito residents who are hoping that insurance will cover damage to their homes from recent mudslides received a word of support from an important ally on Monday. California insurance commissioner Dave Jones issued a notice to insurers outlining his office’s position that they should be…
It’s unclear if homeowners’ insurance covers mudslide damage
It’s unclear if homeowners’ insurance covers mudslide damage

Pamela Jameson Boehr and her husband own a home and two rental properties in Montecito. Each site was affected by the devastating mudslides that recently swept through the area. Boehr, 77, told me her personal residence wasn’t significantly damaged, but one of the rental properties,…
Post wildfire flooding and insurance? Forecast muddy
Post wildfire flooding and insurance? Forecast muddy

A wildfire destroys the trees, plants, bushes, and roots that hold soil in place and soak up rainwater, which in turn can lead to the kind of damage that occurred in Montecito in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire.  The “Fire-Flood Sequence” is a well-known phenomenon,…
After losing homes in the Thomas Fire, the next challenge is insurance
After losing homes in the Thomas Fire, the next challenge is insurance

Carl Zaid wasn’t sure how to tell his wife their house had just burned to the ground, so he did it with the help of a flamingo. Her name was Miss Pink, and she was perched in her usual spot in the front yard the…
Guest Blog: Federal judge voids matching exclusion – Good news for homeowners denied coverage under exclusion
Guest Blog: Federal judge voids matching exclusion – Good news for homeowners denied coverage under exclusion

A Minnesota federal judge recently issued an order that has big potential implications for Minnesota homeowners who had part of their claim denied by a “matching” exclusion in their insurance policy.  American Family customers in particular should be aware of this order, especially those covered…
Financial Decision-Making for Wildfire Survivors
Financial Decision-Making for Wildfire Survivors

On Thursday, January 25th, 2018 United Policyholders will host a Roadmap to Recovery workshop at the Santa Rosa High School Auditorium on Financial Decision-Making For Wildfire Survivors, 6-8 pm This workshop will cover financial and tax implications related to casualty losses and insurance proceeds.  A…
Advocates guide Napa Valley fire survivors seeking insurance payouts
Advocates guide Napa Valley fire survivors seeking insurance payouts

YOUNTVILLE — The North Bay wildfires obliterated homes, belongings and keepsakes within hours or even minutes. But for many survivors, the journey toward repayment for their losses is still in its early days – and advocates for policyholders are hoping to guide some of them…
Conversations Around the Fire’ Turns to Insurance Strategies for Resilient Rebuilding
Conversations Around the Fire’ Turns to Insurance Strategies for Resilient Rebuilding

Yesterday, we heard a presentation from “Conversations Around the Fire” – an initiative hoping to guide local residents to greener, safer and more just ideas about rebuilding our community. One speaker at the conversation Monday night represented a group that helps answer questions about insurance,…
UP to the challenge: 4 simultaneous Roadmap to Recovery operations
UP to the challenge: 4 simultaneous Roadmap to Recovery operations

Last night in Ventura, California, UP oriented and empowered a room full of 200 people whose homes were destroyed in the Thomas wildfire.  Bringing the combination of seasoned empathy and technical/legal expertise that makes UP’s Roadmap to Recovery program a unique and valuable source of disaster recovery…
Cleanup and healing after Montecito mudslides
Cleanup and healing after Montecito mudslides

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, only 58 of the some 3,200 homes in Montecito have flood insurance. That means many homeowners will either be getting a lawyer to argue the Thomas Fire caused the mudslides and should be covered by fire insurance, or…
$3,000 grant to retrofit your home? Yes, please!
$3,000 grant to retrofit your home? Yes, please!

Helping homeowners pay to retrofit their homes is a good investment for all.  We hope all California homeowners will take a moment and see if they qualify for the Earthquake Brace + Bolt program to receive $3,000 to seismically retrofit their home.  The deadline to apply…
Ventura Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/22/18
Ventura Roadmap to Recovery Workshop 1/22/18

United Policyholders hosted a Roadmap to Recovery Insurance Orientation workshop for Thomas Fire Survivors in Ventura on Monday, January 22nd from 6-8pm.  The workshop was led by 1991 Oakland/Berkeley firestorm survivor and UP Board Chair Sue Piper at the Board of Supervisors’ Hearing Room at…
Life-Saving Baby Formula Denied By Insurance Company
Life-Saving Baby Formula Denied By Insurance Company

Heather Wiechert was very concerned that her daughter Mia was not growing. At 11 months old, she weighed just 14 pounds. “A mother’s desire to feed her child runs deep,” said Wiechert. Unable to keep food down, Mia started losing weight and ended up in…
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop for Partial Loss Survivors – Santa Rosa: Wednesday, 1/17/18
Roadmap to Recovery Workshop for Partial Loss Survivors – Santa Rosa: Wednesday, 1/17/18

Workshop for Partial Loss Survivors United Policyholders is hosting its next Roadmap to Recovery workshop in Santa Rosa for North Bay partial loss wildfire survivors on Wednesday, January 17th.  The workshop will start at 6PM at 547 Mendocino Ave. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Santa Rosa.…
California lawmakers propose bills to beef up disaster insurance coverage
California lawmakers propose bills to beef up disaster insurance coverage

State legislators have introduced a package of bills that would beef up or extend insurance coverage to policyholders following declared disasters, but only one would be retroactive and apply to victims of the recent wildfires. Critics say the bills could drive up insurance premiums and…
Safe Houses – Rebuilding in fire zones requires new thinking
Safe Houses – Rebuilding in fire zones requires new thinking

Tragic losses from the October firestorms are still very fresh in our hearts and minds. Discussions about how to rebuild are difficult and sensitive. Dan Wade of United Policyholders says, “Rebuilding in a fire ecology can present unique challenges in the insurance process. Knowing how…
Lawmakers unveil bills to protect wildfire victims
Lawmakers unveil bills to protect wildfire victims

Local lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a flurry of bills that would strengthen consumer protections for homeowners in the aftermath of the North Bay wildfires, where local residents have found themselves underinsured and overly burdened attempting to itemize their personal property destroyed in the blazes. “Californians…
Gullixson: Having to relive the October fires — one pot at a time
Gullixson: Having to relive the October fires — one pot at a time

It’s hard enough thinking about what things we would, or did, grab when our houses were threatened. It’s another to have to remember everything — every pot, every package of food and every keepsake — that was left behind when our houses were lost. Then…