Our Purpose: To collect data from disaster survivors on insurance claims and recovery progress at various intervals; identify coverage issues, individual and common problems and solutions, assess the pace of recovery and the claims handling performance of the various insurers in the region.

2010 Fourmile Canyon Wildfire Survey Results
2010 San Bruno Gas Explosion/Fire Survey Results
2007 Southern California Wildfire Claim Survey Results

2010 Fourmile Canyon Wildfire Survey Results

12 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS
Our key findings include:

• 64% of respondents reported being underinsured on their dwelling by an average of over $200,000
• 36% of respondents have not yet reached a settlement with their insurance company on the dwelling portion of their claim
• 35% of respondents will run out of "Additional Living Expense" benefits before they rebuild/replace their home.
• 57% of respondents reported being underinsured on their personal property by an average of over $130,000
• 43% of respondents do not believe a fair value was placed on their possessions
• 65 % of respondents reported they received lowball estimates from their insurance company

Read the 12 Month Survey Data Here
Read the results crosstabbed by Insurance Company.

6 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS
Our key findings include:

• 61% of respondents reported being underinsured
• 55% of respondents have not yet reached a settlement with their insurance company on the dwelling portion of their claim
• The two most common disputes are over insurance coverage amounts and contents replacement.

Read the 6 month survey results data here.
Read the results crosstabbed by Insurance Company.

2010 San Bruno Gas Explosion/Fire Survey Results

12 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS:
Our key findings include:

Key findings include:

• 45% of respondents have not yet reached a settlement with their insurance company on the dwelling portion of their claim.
• 50% of respondents reported being underinsured on their dwelling by an average of over $200,000.
• 50% of respondents percent reported they received “lowball” repair/rebuilding estimates from their insurance company
• 39% of respondents reported that their insurance company did not fully explain how to collect full replacement cost benefits for depreciated items
• 35% of respondents reported delays from their insurance company in responding to requests for information.

Read the 12 month survey results data here
Read the results crosstabbed by Insurance Company

3-4 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS
Our key findings include:

• 77% of respondents had not reached a settlement with their insurance company on the dwelling portion of their claim
• 41% of respondents believe they are underinsured
• 32% of respondents have disputes over repairs, damage or losses
• 45% of respondents are not being required to itemize their contents

Read the 3-4 month survey results data here.
Read the results crosstabbed by Insurance Company.

2007 Southern California Wildfire Claim Survey Results

United Policyholders conducted a series of surveys following a group of late 2007 wildfires that occurred in and around San Diego County. Using online and printable survey forms and software that tallied up the results, UP and two partner organizations surveyed hundreds of individuals whose homes had been partially or totally destroyed. The first survey was conducted six months after the fires. The second survey was conducted one year after the fires, the third; two years.

24 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS 
Our key findings include:

• 66% of respondents reported being underinsured.
• The average amount by which people reported being underinsured was $319,500.
• 47% of respondents either had not yet settled after two years or their settlement was not enough to rebuild their home.
• There was no definite pattern of when respondents settled, the process can take from 2 months to 2 years.

Questions regarding Buying instead of Rebuilding

• 22% of respondents are planning on buying or have bought a replacement home instead of rebuilding.
• 34% of respondents who have settled, but the amount was not enough to rebuild the home they lost, so they opted to buy not rebuild.

Most common insurance problems:

• 76% of respondents experienced "lowballing".
• 43% experienced delays in responding to requests for information.
• 39% experienced use of bias experts.

Read the two-year survey results data here.
Read the results crosstabbed by Insurance Company.
 

12 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS 
Our key findings include:

• A total of 54% of people surveyed still had not settled the dwelling portion of their insurance claim as of one year after the fire, and 44% had still not settled the contents portion of their claim.
• 70% of all respondents said they were underinsured.

Read the one-year survey results data here.
Read the results crosstabbed by Insurance Company.

6 MONTH SURVEY RESULTS 
Read the complete press release here.

Our key findings include:

• 75% of respondents reported being underinsured on their dwelling
• The average amount by which people reported being underinsured was $240,000.
• Only 18% of respondents have complained to the California Department of Insurance.
• Less than 22% of respondents got the list of reimbursable expense items that insurers are required by California law to provide.
• Insurers have waived the requirement that every single destroyed item be itemized/inventoried for 25% of the respondents.
• Underinsurance is less of a problem on personal property and temporary living expenses than on dwelling coverage.

Read the six-month survey results data here.