California insurance market getting a shake down A 2010 ballot initiative could cause the Seismic Safety Commission in California to lose its funding before the end of 2012. The ballot initiative was designed to help to make it more difficult for government fees to be imposed on individuals and businesses. It also caused the California Legislative Analyst’s Office to decide that the proposed funding method by the governor to the Safety Commission is now unconstitutional. The analyst made the recommendation that there be a rejection by the Legislature of the…
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Virginia officials encouraging residents to purchase earthquake insurance
Virginia officials are urging residents to check their home insurance policies to ensure they have protection against earthquakes. The initiative comes as a new law takes effect, which will force insurance companies to disclose what their various policies do not offer coverage for. State officials are hoping that residents will be proactive in finding out what coverage they may lacking and take steps to rectify the problem before they fall victim to a devastating natural disaster. According to the State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance, many Virginia residents do not…
Read MoreCalifornia insurance regulators target GeoVera Insurance, imposing fines and requiring the company to make changes to underwriting
California insurance regulators have taken action against GeoVera Insurance Co., providers of residential earthquake insurance, this week. Regulators took notice of the company after having received a multitude of complaints from policyholders. According to these complaints, the insurer’s underwriting procedures are not as adequate as they are supposed to be. Regulators have investigated the matter and found that the insurer’s practices were indeed falling short of the state’s standards. GeoVera will be facing major changes as regulators look to make the company more compliant with state laws. The insurer will…
Read MoreWhat consumers should know about buying earthquake insurance
The number of earthquakes in states that are not known for tremors – such as the recent 5.6 point quake in Oklahoma and the earthquakes in Colorado and Virginia this summer – have underlined the fact that flooding, severe weather, and fires are not the only types of natural disaster that can cause damage to a home, no matter where you live. Though California is the state that is at the highest risk of earthquakes, and it is also long overdue for another major tremor, states that consider quakes to…
Read MoreOklahoma quake changes the way people think about insurance
Following the earthquake in Oklahoma many people have opened their eyes to the type of coverage that they do – and do not – have for their homes and belongings. What they’re discovering, far more often than not, is that their insurance coverage does not extend to the type of damage that would result from a quake. Typical renters’, homeowners’ and commercial insurance will not offer protection for a structure or the possessions it contains, should they be damaged in an earthquake. The residents of Oklahoma are asking questions about…
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