Fire recovery in Sonoma County shows mixed results on 2nd anniversary, experts say
Fire recovery in Sonoma County shows mixed results on 2nd anniversary, experts say

Two years after the October firestorm that swept the North Bay, recovery efforts are both good and not so great. Houses are being rebuilt, the destroyed northwest Santa Rosa neighborhood of Coffey Park is coming back strong, insurance struggles and construction costs remain, and mental…
She’s 82. The cost of her long-term care insurance just went up 80%
She’s 82. The cost of her long-term care insurance just went up 80%

Joyce Viets’ dad was in the life insurance business, so she knew from an early age that you have to plan ahead. “I heard about actuarials my entire life,” the Temecula resident told me. Viets, 82, purchased long-term care insurance nearly two decades ago, anticipating…
Spooky Language Hiding in Your Insurance?
Spooky Language Hiding in Your Insurance?

Getting a notice from a home insurer that they’re dropping you is scary, and UP works hard to help people in that situation. Read our latest tips on shopping for affordable home insurance when your options are limited. Just as scary is hearing your insurer…
Insurance companies to stop paying monthly assistance to victims of Santa Rosa firestorm
Insurance companies to stop paying monthly assistance to victims of Santa Rosa firestorm

SANTA ROSA, Calif. KTVU) – With less than two weeks until the second anniversary of the firestorm that devastated Santa Rosa, insured victims are getting some nasty surprises from the insurance companies that promised to protect them. More than 5,000 homes were destroyed by wildfire.…
1 big thing: Insurance deploying AI against wildfires
1 big thing: Insurance deploying AI against wildfires

To keep up with California’s unrelenting wildfire threat, some insurers are now turning to AI to predict fire risk with unprecedented, structure-by-structure detail. Why it matters: This will allow them to cover homes in areas that they would otherwise have passed over — but potentially…
High rates of under-insurance making rebuild difficult
High rates of under-insurance making rebuild difficult

The problem emerges after every wildfire in California PARADISE — Nearly 11 months after the Camp Fire razed Amy McFarland’s neighborhood, two of her neighbors’ new homes look ready for move-in. She’d like to be a part of the rebuild of the town. But her…
North Bay fire survivors face financial hardship as insurers stop paying their monthly living expenses
North Bay fire survivors face financial hardship as insurers stop paying their monthly living expenses

Since retiring from her law practice, Robin Gabbert feels like she’s had a full-time job trying to rebuild after the devastating 2017 North Bay wildfires. Gabbert and her husband, Con Jager, are like thousands of other fire survivors who will not finish building new homes…
2 years after Tubbs: Where does Sonoma County fire recovery stand? October 4 event to give detailed updates
2 years after Tubbs: Where does Sonoma County fire recovery stand? October 4 event to give detailed updates

Two years after wildfires leveled thousands of homes, areas leaders will stop and assess where area is and where it has yet to go in recovery on Oct. 4. Keynoted by State Senator Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, “Impact Sonoma Two Years On” will draw together government,…
As Fire Season Heats Up, Insurance Companies Drop Long-Time Clients
As Fire Season Heats Up, Insurance Companies Drop Long-Time Clients

Sep. 15–Frances Mann-Craik loves living amid the trees along Highway 35. But her quiet life in the mountains above Silicon Valley is about to get a lot more expensive. Along with more than a dozen of her neighbors, Mann-Craik recently received a letter from Walnut…
Deadlines and Decisions: Two-Year Anniversary Bulletin for 2017 North Bay Fire impacted households
Deadlines and Decisions: Two-Year Anniversary Bulletin for 2017 North Bay Fire impacted households

Home insurance policies typically limit the amount of time you have to collect all available replacement cost and loss of use/ALE benefits and to file a lawsuit. Your insurance company is legally required to provide you with written notice 60 days before any deadline or benefit expiration they want…
Roadmap to Recovery Survey
Roadmap to Recovery Survey

Our surveys are one of the ways we keep our fingers on the pulse of the recovery.  The data collected helps us serve your community and informs our advocacy work in the courts, legislatures, media and public policy forums. Make sure your voice is heard!…
WRAP UP: The Wildfire Risk Reduction and Asset Protection Project
WRAP UP: The Wildfire Risk Reduction and Asset Protection Project

Above, R to L:  After his insurer threatened to drop him, a Moraga, CA homeowner contacted his local Fire Dept. for help. UP’s Amy Bach rode along with local fire officials as they inspected and prescribed steps to reduce risk and retain his coverage.  If…
Wildfires breed home insurance woes, even far from flames
Wildfires breed home insurance woes, even far from flames

BERKELEY, Calif. KGO) — With all the wildfires in California these past few years, homeowners have begun dealing with unprecedented difficulties with their insurance companies. And we’re not talking only about areas that burned. When Sue Von Baeyer of Berkeley received the letter from Allstate…
Insurance firms drop Berkeley Hills homeowners, citing wildfire risk
Insurance firms drop Berkeley Hills homeowners, citing wildfire risk

Marina Sadler thinks about fire safety “like every day, 12 times a day.” It’s not unfounded paranoia. Sadler lives in what’s called the “wildland-urban interface,” where the narrow residential roads of the Berkeley Hills wind through fire-prone brush and practically spill into Tilden Park. The…
After the Hurricane, Dealing With Insurance Claims
After the Hurricane, Dealing With Insurance Claims

As Hurricane Dorian churned north this week, residents along the Atlantic coast were preparing to assess the possible damage to their homes, and to determine what their insurance policies will cover. Homeowners whose properties were affected by the storm should act as quickly as feasible…
California lawmakers approve bill fueled by homeowner insurance adjuster errors in fires’ wake
California lawmakers approve bill fueled by homeowner insurance adjuster errors in fires’ wake

Consumer advocates and state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara hailed the approval of a bill by state Sen. Bill Dodd aimed at mistakes and delays in handling homeowner insurance claims in the wake of the 2017 wildfires. The bill, SB 240, came in response to testimony…
To Bundle or Not to Bundle Insurance: A Few Things to Consider
To Bundle or Not to Bundle Insurance: A Few Things to Consider

It seems like a slam dunk. Taking out policies on your home, car, motorcycle and boat with one company, or “bundling” is the topic of many a TV commercial. You can simplify your life and get big discounts, according to the ads. Aside from savings,…
How to File an Insurance Claim After a Hurricane
How to File an Insurance Claim After a Hurricane

When a major hurricane is approaching the main concern for anyone in its path should be the personal safety of everyone in your family. Once the winds and rains have passed the next step is often planning a path for recovery. And that path usually…