Articles by Don Jergler

How California’s Homeowners Insurance Crisis Is Affecting Brokers

A growing homeowners insurance crisis for Californians is straining brokers who must work harder to get increasingly expensive and more frequently unavailable coverage for their clients, a crisis many of them blame on regulations and wildfires. Wildfires have made the …

CBO Says Mortgage Subsidy Cost from Flood Damage to Hit $395M by 2053

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of floods in the U.S., posing greater risks to homeowners and mortgage lenders—and since flood damage tends to lower the market value of affected homes, it’s more likely that homeowners …

State Farm Seeking Large Rate Increases in Wildfire-Prone California

State Farm has applied for large rate increases in California, a year after the carrier got rate approvals of 7% and 20%—adding fuel to a burning homeowners crisis in a state that’s seen an increasing number of carriers pullback or …

California Wildfire Outlook: ‘A Challenging Season for Firefighters’

While the official start to California’s wildfire season is still a ways off, the best forecast of what’s ahead may be to look back on the year so far, and so far it’s been far busier for firefighters than last …

Activist Report Shows More Insurers Making Climate-Related Disclosures

A new report from a climate activist group portrays a “mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges” in the insurance sector in addressing climate-related risks, with some insurers successfully integrating climate-related risks and others leaving “significant gaps and disparities.” The …

Farmers Adjusters Cry Foul Over Workloads, Claims Handling in Letter to Regulators

Farmers Insurance officials this week said they have spoken with employees after receiving an anonymous letter, apparently from a group of in-house adjusters, accusing the insurer of understaffing and overworking claims professionals. “Farmers Insurance has always been a leader in …

Potent Hurricane Weather Pattern Continues to Take Shape, Forecaster Says

The hurricane season continues to look like it will be a highly active one, as a potent and portentous weather pattern continues to take shape, an AccuWeather meteorologist told Claims Journal on Friday. “It certainly looks like it’s going to …

American National Exiting Homeowners Insurance Market

Following its announcement several months ago to leave the homeowners insurance business in nine states including California and Louisiana, American National appears to be exiting the line in all states. According to a letter sent to employees and other stakeholders, …

World Meteorological Organization: Good Chance for More Record-Setting Global Temps

A new study on adoption of behaviors that reduce personal carbon emissions in 37 countries and territories classified as “high-emissions” shows that daily household behaviors are far more common than higher-cost, infrequent behaviors. Lower-cost, daily behaviors to reduce carbon emissions …

American National Exiting Homeowners Insurance Market

Following its announcement several months ago to leave the homeowners insurance business in nine states including California and Louisiana, American National appears to be exiting the line in all states. According to a letter sent to employees and other stakeholders …