Aid to SoCal Wildfire Survivors

Self-Help Tips

California State Help

California Roadmap to Recovery

Fire Claim Tips for California Residents

General Tips for Fire Claimants

Depreciation Info for Personal Property Items

Information: Your Best Policy, 2007 SoCal Wildfire Recovery

The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory Guide

Tips for Reviewing Adjusters' and Contractors' Estimates (pdf)

Your Insurance Legal Rights as a Property Owner in California (pdf)

Examinations Under Oath (pdf)

Contents Claim Tips (pdf)

Mortgage Issues (pdf)

State Government Help & Your Legal Rights

Hiring Professional Help
California State Agency Help
Summary of Legal Deadlines During the Claim Process (pdf)
How to Reach Your Elected Officials (pdf)
Your Insurance Legal Rights as a Property Owner in California (pdf)
Examinations Under Oath (pdf)
Getting Help From the CA. Dept. of Insurance (216KB pdf)
2007 Disaster Losses Kit (216KB pdf)

United Policyholders' Programs

Finding Professional Help

Local Recovery Help in San Diego

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The UP Volunteer Mentor Program:

If you have lost your home and want to take advantage of free help from volunteers who’ve “been there”, call us or send us an email and we’ll send you a list. Volunteer mentors on our list are identified by name, contact information and insurance company. Send the email to Karen@unitedpolicyholders.org, or call (415) 393-9990.

United Policyholders and our experienced volunteers are already hard at work helping those who've lost homes in the recent wildfires across Southern California. UP Outreach Coordinator Karen Reimus, as well as Ken and Lisa Klein and others are stationed at "one-stop" aid centers meeting one-on-one with victims. They are empathizing and sharing their expertise while directing people to the resources that United Policyholders has to offer. Karen, the Kleins and many other UP volunteers have personally navigated the challenges of rebuilding and recovering after losing their own homes in previous disasters.

There are over 60 volunteers on United Policyholders' list of "mentors". The mentor program was initiated by Reimus and builds on the consumer education and outreach UP has been doing since 1991. The majority of our current mentors are people who gained valuable know-how on navigating large insurance claims and overcoming obstacles to rebuilding the homes they lost in the 2003 wildfires in the San Diego area. Our mentors also include people who were impacted by other wildfires that have occurred over the 16 years since UP was founded. They are making themselves available to support and educate those who are just beginning the process of recovering from the loss of their homes and property. Some have been working with people in the South Lake Tahoe area since late June, others have recently joined. We welcome new mentors and are encouraging those taking advantage of the program to select a mentor who was insured with the same insurance company as they are. To volunteer or learn more about the program, email info@unitedpolicyholders.org

A personal message from one of our Mentor/Volunteers (Word doc)

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The UP Book Sponsorship/Donation Program:

In 2006, United Policyholders and author Carol Custodio self-published a bright yellow book titled the "Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory Guide - How to recount and recover from losses after a fire, flood, earthquake or tornado". The book is a proven action plan for disaster recovery. It is written by disaster survivors and experts on insurance and tax issues, and it is endorsed by leading national experts. UP is working hard to raise funds so we can give a free copy to every person who lost a home in the recent wildfires that ravaged Southern California.

Help us get these books to those in need by donating today to United Policyholders. Note that you want your donation earmarked for our book sponsorship program. It's safe and easy to donate online; http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org/membership.html, or mail a check for any amount to: United Policyholders, 222 Columbus Ave., #412, San Francisco, CA. 94133. All donations to UP are tax deductible as permitted by law.

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New tips and resources in production:

Executive Director Amy Bach and UP staff and advisors are hard at work developing new tips and resources, logging in offers of assistance from all over the United States and enlisting support for the work we'll be doing in the coming months. United Policyholders is a national network and a reputable non-profit with over sixteen years of working to solve insurance problems.

Hidden Damage from Smoke and Extreme Heat

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