United Policyholders (UP)

Great guidance for Texas residents from United Policyholders (UP)' Senior Program Officer Emily Rogan #uphelp #roadmaptopreparedness #homeinsurance

As United Policyholders (UP) deploys staff, resources and volunteers to support and assist households and communities impacted by wildfires in California, Colorado and New Mexico, the risk reduction work we're doing with our WRAP working group members to increase home hardening and defensible space in vulnerable areas is more important than ever. Yesterday's working group meeting featured inspiring leaders; Bill Tyler, Mark Brown, head of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority and Jason Brooks, Fire Aside. They shared strategies and progress they're seeing from using a bond measure to employ Wildfire Mitigation Specialists, create shaded fuel breaks, issue matching grants and collaborate with environmental groups to responsibly reduce wildfire risk and restore insurer confidence in their region so we can get people out of the Fair Plan and properly insured. Thanks guys! #uphelp #WRAP #mitigation #homehardening #wildfirepreparedhome #saferfromwildfires #wildfirepreparedness #homeinsurance

On a parallel track with the regulatory proposals being advanced by the California Department of Insurance, County and State elected officials in California are digging deep to advance solutions to the property insurance marketplace conditions that are plaguing home and business owners, bloating our insurer of last resort and negatively impacting real estate sales and property tax revenues. It was my privilege today to offer insights and proposals to a California State Association of Counties® insurance working group, then to a California State Senate Insurance Working Group. Thanks to United Policyholders (UP) Roadmap to Preparedness and Advocacy and Action programs and ongoing work gathering, distilling and disseminating information, and resources on risk reduction, asset protection and insurance strategies, we are well-positioned to assist public policy officials. Gratitude to our staff, donors, volunteers and partners for the collaboration that makes it possible for us to empower and advocate for insureds all across the nation. We're all in this together - that much is clear. #saferfromwildfires #ibhs #wildfirepreparedhome #insurancenonrenewals #aerialimages #consumerprotection #uphelp #WRAP

A United Policyholders (UP) friend of the court letter helped secure a positive ruling in a case where the policholder is represented by Latham & Watkins. Thank you David Goodwin, policyholder attorney extraordinaire with Covington & Burling LLP, who drafted UP's letter pro bono. The case (Montrose Chemical Co. v. S.C. (Canadian Universal Ins. Co. ) involves whether extrinsic evidence can be considered when construing the meaning of language in an insurance policy.

United Policyholders has been informing and assisting flood victims on insurance matters for decades, including post-disaster in Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Colorado and California. With input from volunteers Jeffrey S. Major and Jade Bentz (Skyline Adjusters), we recently submitted comments to FEMA on their proposed reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program FEMA Insurance Program. Thank you Jeff and Jade!

I had a great conversation earlier this week with former Texas Insurance Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman on strategies for advancing risk reduction, the importance of preserving essential coverage for roof damage and protecting consumers, preventing fraud and battles like the one chronicled here. Hopefully this ruling will lead to improved outcomes for Texas property owners and the reputable roofers, repair and claim professionals that serve them. Thank you Chip Merlin for keeping us informed and empowered.

United Policyholders (UP) appreciated the invitation and opportunity today to address California legislators on restoring property insurance options for households who've been non-renewed and are having to turn to expensive, sub-standard plans to stay protected. While there are no fast fixes for insurers' shrinking appetite for insuring older homes, condo HOAs, homes in rural and brush-heavy regions...we, the California Department of Insurance and the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom are working hard to increase wildfire risk reduction and restore a competitive marketplace statewide while retaining appropriate oversight of insurance rates. Yet, it is clear that we need to be developing asset protection options that don't yet exist. Not only do we need to preserve access to homeownership via a healthy mortgage lending system, we also need to reduce insurers' and reinsurers' ability to wreak havoc in the marketplace and inflict acute economic pain on consumers. Because despite all the hubub in CA...

United Policyholders (UP) is grateful for the pro bono work by Texas policyholder attorneys Jeffrey Raizner and Christopher Deen (Raizner Slania LLP) that allowed us to contribute to (and be referenced in) a decision by the Texas Supreme Court that impacts property owners who are insured with the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. #uphelp #amicuscuriae #policyholderrights

Tomorrow Rani Gupta with Covington & Burling LLP will provide a powerful voice for business policyholders of all shapes and sizes across the state and the legendary S.F. restaurant John's Grill when she represents United Policyholders (UP) during oral argument in the Supreme Court of California. We thank policyholder counsel Nanci Nishimura, Brian Danitz and Andrew Kirtley and the Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP team for sharing some of their time. UP has fought hard for the insurance benefits that businesses of all shapes and sizes had paid for and were entitled to recover when COVID-19 interrupted their operations in 2020. Many had paid extra premiums for special endorsements that specifically promised Fungi, Bacteria or Virus, Communicable Disease, Contingent Business Interruption, Extra Expense and other types of coverage that should have entitled them to benbefits. Our national volunteer corps of professional insurance coverage experts toiled pro bono and overtime to keep policyholders' voices heard and help UP stand up for what's right. Cheering you on Rani and thank you! Special thanks to John Ellison and Reed Smith LLP, and our incredibly dedicated crew.