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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

Nowhere to be found. That is the answer.

It is quite proper to warn people about unscrupulous scoundrels without licenses who are gauging Florida’s Hurricane Ian victims. Trying to ferret out those individuals and asking the public for information and to turn them in is something everybody supports.
Continue Reading Where Are Florida’s Leaders Explaining How Floridians Can Fully Get Paid and Not Get Ripped Off By Their Own Insurance Companies?

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

Yesterday’s post, Will Citizens Property Insurance Disputes Be Handled By Government Administrative Judges?, ended with the hope that Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation would respond to Citizens request for an endorsement by looking out of policyholder interests. In a comment to the blog post, Mike Cappelli commented by saying that Florida’s OIR was a “rubber stamp.”…
Continue Reading The Revolving Door Connecting Insurance Regulators with the Supposedly Regulated Insurance Industry

Smoke damage claims are unique. Special claims training is needed to properly and safely adjust smoke losses. Most policyholders are entirely unaware of the personal dangers created by smoke. These claims are often overlooked and not reported due to ignorance.
Continue Reading Smoke Damage Claims—Are Insurers Handling Smoke Claims Properly and Trying to Reduce Smoke Coverage Through New Policy Language?

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?

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 (“UP”), a non-profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and a respected voice for consumers of all types of insurance in all 50 states, launched its national Restoring the Insurance Safety Net Coalition (RISC) initiative in 2020. The purpose of this initiative is to reverse the trend of insurance policy re-writes that are shrinking coverage for damage to homes. One of its stated approaches is to identify wording that is causing protection gaps. I encourage you to read more about the initiative at uphelp.org/risc.
Continue Reading Beware of Avoidable Coverage Gaps with California FAIR Plan Companion Endorsements