Amy Bach

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Amy Bach of United Policyholders has a feel for the pulse of property insurance coverage trends that impact policyholders throughout the United States. She has a seat at the table with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) when discussing topics impacting insurance consumers. I was fascinated with the content of her speech at the California Association of Public Insurance Adjusters Annual Conference yesterday. If there is a macro view of the current coverage trend in standard insurance property insurance, it has to be one of shrinkage and fewer benefits for policyholders while insurance rates increase.
Continue Reading Property Insurance Policy Coverage Trends Point to Less Coverage at Greater Cost

The insurance landscape in California has become more precarious as a result of the severe and incessant wildfires. The great urban fires of the 19th century caused many insurers to become insolvent. These great wildfires, not even in urban areas, are having similar property insurance market impacts—especially in California.
Continue Reading California Thoughts and United Policyholders

The gut answer to the post question is: “Of course not, Chip, that would not be fair and would encourage insurance companies to underpay and deny claims.” Still, this is the result when courts follow the literal contract language found in most “replacement cost’ policies and require policyholders to prove the amount paid above actual cash value benefits – even if the insurer failed to pay all the actual cash value benefits because of underpayment or wrongful denial.
Continue Reading Should Underpaying and Wrongfully Denying Insurance Companies Get Away With Not Paying Replacement Cost Benefits?

Partial losses from smoke, ash, and soot are some of the most complex and challenging claims facing policyholders when insurers will not fully agree to help investigate and evaluate the extent of damage. All you have to do is read the transcript from a recent virtual town hall meeting in Colorado to get a flavor for what is going on when policyholders are faced with dealing with their insurance adjusters. This post is a follow-up to Soot, Ash, and Char Claims Are Hot Topic At Colorado Insurance Commission Virtual Town Hall Meeting.
Continue Reading Partial Fire Losses Involving Smoke, Ash, and Soot From Wildfires—A Transcript of the Colorado Town Hall Meeting

The Colorado Division of Insurance got an earful from Colorado policyholders dealing with insurance claim problems at a virtual town hall meeting last night. The event, Insurance Town Hall – Partial Losses in the Boulder Fires & Straight Line Winds, had panelists discussing the issues of soot, ash, and char claims following the recent Marshall Fire. Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway was obviously frustrated hearing how Coloradans are being treated with their claims. He stated that “his blood pressure was going up” and that he intended to call Liberty Mutual and Travelers. The event was recorded and will be on the Division’s website.
Continue Reading Soot, Ash, and Char Claims Are Hot Topic At Colorado Insurance Commission Virtual Town Hall Meeting

United Policyholders provides a forum to help advocate for and educate about the need for policyholder rights. As a result of United Policyholders, I and others with Merlin Law Group have been able to help support the legal rights of our current and future clients. To me, it would just seem natural that a law firm and its lawyers who say they are dedicated to the rights of policyholders would support with their time and money the activities of United Policyholders (UP). Otherwise, are you just doing it for the money?
Continue Reading Lifetime Achievement Award From United Policyholders

Amy Bach is the Executive Director of United Policyholders. Last week, I had breakfast with her at the world-famous Sears Fine Food restaurant in San Francisco’s Union Square. We discussed a number of the projects United Policyholders is involved in, including the Covid Loss Recovery Initiative and Amicus Curiae Project. An “amicus curiae” brief is often called a “friend of the court” brief filed by a non-party to a lawsuit. This is part of what United Policyholders says about its ongoing Amicus Curiae Project:…
Continue Reading United Policyholders Files An Amicus Brief Regarding Covid Lost Income Claims In Ohio Supreme Court

United Policyholders has sent a letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis calling on him to oppose the current pending legislation founds in SB 76 and HB 305. Here is part of the letter written by Amy Bach to Governor DeSantis:…
Continue Reading United Policyholders Calls on Governor DeSantis to Oppose Harmful Bills to Florida’s Policyholders

This year, United Policyholders celebrates a tremendous milestone – 30 years of successfully providing information to and advocating on behalf of policyholders nationwide.

In their own words:

United Policyholders (UP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and an effective voice for consumers of all types of insurance in all 50 states.

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Continue Reading United Policyholders: A Brief Look Back at the Past 30 years

United Policyholders takes action and gets things done for policyholders regarding the insurance gap issue. United Policyholders is tackling the insurance gap coverage problem by providing staff and resources to collect rogue property insurance policy forms being issued by insurance companies, to show examples of how insurers are stepping over each other to silently gain a competitive advantage of lower price with cheap insurance.
Continue Reading Crazy New Policy Language? Report It To United Policyholders!