Free Wildfire Insurance Claim Help
United Policyholders is a national non-profit that helps guide disaster survivors on the road to recovery. UP offers free help resources that include tips and info from previous disaster survivors and from experts on insurance claims and the rebuilding process. UP is endorsed by the California Department of Insurance, faith-based aid organizations, other non-profits and thousands of individuals who’ve used our resources. Email: info@uphelp.org for more info.
Here are the services we are offering in the areas impacted by recent Southern California wildfires.
Local Meetings and Recovery Help Centers
(Roadmap to Recovery™ meetings are open to firestorm survivors only)
Free Insurance Claim Help via The Roadmap to RecoveryTM Program
- Tips, Sample letters and Forms
- Claim Tips
- Videos of Roadmap to RecoveryTM presentations by rebuilding, insurance and recovery experts
- Sample letters/ Sample forms to help document your loss and get paid in full and on time
- Resources for overcoming obstacles and where to go for help
- Tax information for wildfire survivors
- The Disaster Recovery Handbook (written by Survivors for Survivors)
“The Disaster Recovery Handbook and Household Inventory Guide”, affectionately known by thousands of disaster survivors as “the little yellow book” that guided them through the process of recovering from the loss of their homes. Written by survivors for survivors, along with expert advice from trusted consumer advocates and personal finance professionals.
- If you have lost your home and would like a free copy, e-mail the address of your destroyed home to: emily@uphelp.org, or call us at (415) 393-9990.
- If you are not a disaster survivor, but would like to purchase a copy or copies of the handbook, you can place your order by calling 1-888-894-8621 or order online at: http://www.malloybooks.com/UnitedPolicyHolders.html. Volume discounts bring the $14.95 single copy price down to as low as $6.47 per book.
- Support from Previous Disaster Survivors
Get confidential emotional support, insurance and rebuilding tips from previous catastrophic loss survivor through the United Policyholders Disaster Recovery Mentor Program. For more information and/or to receive a list of and contact info for available mentors, please email or call Emily Cabral, Emily@uphelp.org (415) 393-9990, or contact UP Outreach Coordinator Karen Reimus at karen@uphelp.org.
- Survivors Speak: Calculating and Negotiating Dwelling Losses (pdf)
Testimonials about calculating dwelling claims from people who have lost their homes in California wildfires in the last ten years
- Free confidential online answers to your questions
We have opened our secure online “Ask an Expert” forum. To join the forum, please write “forum invite” in the subject line and e-mail: emily@uphelp.org
- “Survivor to Survivor ListServ” (Private online discussion forum)
A restricted access on line discussion forum for Firestorm Survivors only. A safe and convenient way to get and share valuable information with others who are in the process of recovering from a recent wildfire loss. Access limited to victims by invitation only. For more information and/or to receive an invite to the list serve, contact UP Outreach Coordinator Karen Reimus by e-mail at karen@uphelp.org.
- Other Resources
- Locate qualified clean up, construction, claim representations and legal help.
- California Department of Insurance:
An important resource for getting help and information UP Exec. Dir. Amy Bach chairs the CDI Consumer Advisory Task Force and UP staff work closely with the Department.
- The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
- American Red Cross
- FEMA
- SBA Disaster Loans
- Locate qualified clean up, construction, claim representations and legal help.
Recent Fires where UP is helping:
Forty Nine Fire (Placer County)
Jesusita Fire (Santa Barbara County)
Freeway Complex Fire (Orange County)
Tea Fire (Santa Barbara County)
Sayre Fire (Los Angeles County)
Summit Fire (Santa Cruz County)
Martin Fire (Santa Cruz County)
Grass Valley / Slide Fires
(San Bernardino County)
Witch Fire (San Diego County)
Rice Fire (San Diego County)
Harris Fire (San Diego County)
Humboldt Fire (Butte County)
Ophir Fire (Butte County)