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From : Lila Hayes
Sent : June 23, 2005
Subject : OFRG weekly update
Meeting Reminder
This week's meeting will NOT be on the 24th (as
stated in my last email) but will be this Sunday the 26th at 2PM at the
Calvary Baptist Church. It is the last meeting at the church.
I received a call from George Kehrer of CARe, Inc
who confirmed that he will be at this (our last) meeting. There is a
possibility that a news crew will be there from a company who syndicates
it's columns to over 50 papers. They would like to do a story on
him and how he helps people through the recovery process.
It would be wonderful to have as many people there
as possible to show him how much we appreciates all he did for us that year
after the fire. Hope to see you there!
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Editor's Note
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Starting in July we will be visiting survivors
homes once a month until the two year anniversary in October 2005. The
first one will be July 24th, 2PM at Margie & Joe Arnett's located at 1681
Echo Drive. This will be a potluck event so please bring something to
share! If there is anyone else located within a couple of blocks of this
location, we would also love to visit your house. Please let me know in
advance!
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Index
1. Case stories of property owners
whose insurers dropped them after they filed a claim are needed for comments on
CDI regs
2. Possible deadline extension for IRS "Like
Kind Exchanges"
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On The Web
1. University of Florida's Disaster
Handbook
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In The News
1. Up to 9 Homes Burn; More Threatened, June 23, 2005, LA Times
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1.
Case stories of property owners whose insurers dropped them
after they filed a claim are needed for comments on CDI
regs
---
Our organization is in the process
of submitting comments on proposed regulations issued by the California
Department of Insurance to regulate the practice that has become known as “use
it and lose it”. This is the phenomenon we’ve seen a lot of in recent
years where property owners who’ve filed claims get notices when their policies
come up for renewal after they’ve filed the claim that their company is dropping
them. Many people consider these “cancellations” but technically they’re
“non-renewal” notices.
United Policyholders’
comments will be even stronger if we can add more stories/personal accounts of
property owners who’ve had this problem. We’ll protect the identity of
anyone who doesn’t want their name or insurer’s names used.
We care about this
problem because most people who get dropped end up spending a lot of time
finding replacement coverage and when they do, it’s generally a lot more
expensive and not as broad as what they had, and it’s often with a
“non-admitted” or lower rated insurer. We also care because the word is
out that if you make a claim you’ll get dropped, which means a lot of people are
afraid to use the insurance they’re paying for.
There are lots of
explanations for why it’s happening but the bottom line is we’re working to help
solve it. We offer info on deciding whether it makes financial sense to
file a claim or pay out of pocket at: http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org/article_ToClaim.html and if
you want to read more about the “use it and lose it” issue, you can visit our
website and click on the “Insurers get green light” item at our home page,
or search for the phrase in the “search” box. To read the CDI’s
proposed regulations, visit http://www.insurance.ca.gov/docs/FS-Legal.htm and look up the text
of RH05044911.
Regards,
Amy Bach, Executive Director
United
Policyholders
110 Pacific Ave., #262
San Francisco, CA. 94111
amy@unitedpolicyholders.org
(415)
381-7627 Ph
(415) 381-5572 Fax
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2. Possible deadline extension for IRS "Like Kind
Exchanges"
---
I am not exactly sure if this effects us, but if
this even comes close to effects you, please talk to your tax attorney!
This is a direct quote from a newsletter I just got from taxloopholes.com (emphasis
added)
Are you involved in a like-kind transaction that has been impacted
by events beyond your control, such as the property is in a
Presidentially-declared disaster area, is being affected by a terrorist
or military action, or one of the parties is involved in combat service?
If you are, and you are having trouble meeting the timelines
established by the IRS, you may be eligible for an extension of time of up to
120 days to complete your transaction.
This ruling affects only those transactions that were entered into
after January 26, 2004, and is contingent upon the IRS first issuing a general
News Release confirming the circumstances and that the extension has been
granted.
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In The News
---
1. Up to 9 Homes Burn; More
Threatened
Wildfire
season begins as hot temperatures and steady winds stoke flames, burning
thousands of acres, mostly in desert areas.
June 23, 2005
By Susana Enriquez and Lance Pugmire, LA Times Staff
Writers
MORONGO VALLEY, Calif. — Southern California's wildfire season began in
earnest Wednesday as dry, hot conditions and steady winds fanned six separate
blazes across the region, the most serious of which destroyed up to nine homes
and blackened 4,500 acres of desert 120 miles east of Los Angeles.
Five of the blazes were in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Combined,
they threatened more than 700 homes over more than 8,500 acres as fire crews and
water-dropping aircraft struggled to contain them.
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On The Web
---
1. University of Florida's Disaster
Handbook
Might be good for flood survivors. Chapters
4.3 might be particularly good on understanding the National Flood Insurance
Program.
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