What United Policyholders does

United Policyholders (UP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1991 in San Francisco by attorney Amy Bach and insurance professional Ina Delong, in the aftermath of a Northern California urban wildfire that destroyed 3,000 homes. Its mission is to serve as a trustworthy information resource and effective voice for insurance consumers across all 50 states; the organization explicitly does not sell insurance and does not accept funding from insurance companies or insurer trade associations, positioning independence as its core credibility asset. UP delivers its work through three programs: Roadmap to Recovery (post-disaster claim guidance), Roadmap to Preparedness (insurance literacy and disaster readiness), and Advocacy and Action (regulatory and legislative advocacy, including 600+ amicus briefs filed in state, federal, and U.S. Supreme Court matters and an official consumer representative seat at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners since 2009).

UP's products are predominantly informational rather than technological: a library of publications, sample claim letters, disaster-specific recovery help pages (wildfire, hurricane, flood, storm), a Professional Help Directory, an Ask An Expert Q&A forum, the Catch UP webinar series, the WRAP wildfire mitigation Resource Center, and survey-based research reports validated with Boise State University, California Western Law School, and Stanford University. The technology footprint is minimal — a WordPress-based website (uphelp.org) and standard digital distribution channels (newsletter, blog, webinars) — and no proprietary AI, API, or platform technology is disclosed in the source data. The organization runs on a small core team (roughly 15 staff/consultants named in Team UP) supplemented by a 200+ volunteer corps of disaster survivors, lawyers, insurance professionals, financial planners, CPAs, construction experts, patient advocates, and retired judges.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded: roughly 15+ foundation partners (community foundations across Pasadena, Los Angeles, Ventura, Boulder, Sarasota, Maui, and Butte County; statewide preparedness funders like Listos California and Golden State Finance Authority; national disaster philanthropies including Center for Disaster Philanthropy and American Red Cross; plus corporate giving from AT&T), individual and business donations, and book sales. All programs, publications, libraries, and clinics are provided free of charge to consumers. Geographic activation is currently concentrated in California, Colorado, Florida, and Hawaii, with national coverage for policy advocacy and ongoing expansion into new disaster theaters (Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii storms in 2026).

Name

United Policyholders

Legal name

United Policyholders

Website

https://uphelp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United Policyholders is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1991 that provides free insurance consumer advocacy, post-disaster claim guidance, and policy education to consumers across all 50 states through three core programs and a 200+ volunteer corps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Advocacy and Insurance Education

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Rights & Public Interest Advocacy (BPAGAFAK)

Keywords

• Insurance consumer advocacy
• Policyholder education resources
• Disaster recovery guidance
• Insurance claim assistance
• Consumer protection nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: United Policyholders receives funding from foundation grants including Pasadena Community Foundation, Anthony Pritzker Family Foundation, California Community Foundation, Ventura County Community Foundation, Hawai'i Community Foundation, Community Foundation Boulder County, Argosy Foundation, Listos California, Golden State Finance Authority, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Equal Justice Works, American Red Cross, AT&T, North Valley Community Foundation, and others.
2. Individual and Business Donations: The organization is funded by donations from individuals and businesses. The organization is self-described as 'not for profit – not for sale' and does not accept funding from insurance companies or insurer trade associations.
3. Book Sales: Revenue is also generated through book sales. Tax identification # is 94-3162024.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

United Policyholders is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) consumer advocacy organization that helps insurance consumers prepare for, navigate, and recover from claim situations. It delivers free educational guides, resources, and advocacy through three program areas: Roadmap to Recovery, Roadmap to Preparedness, and Advocacy and Action. The organization does not sell insurance or charge for its core educational services.

Product overview

United Policyholders is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that operates as a consumer information resource and advocacy group, not a commercial product company. The organization offers three core programs: Roadmap to Recovery® (post-disaster insurance claim assistance), Roadmap to Preparedness® (disaster preparedness education), and Advocacy and Action (pro-consumer policy work). Supporting these programs are educational resources including Ask An Expert, Claim Guidance Library, Professional Help Directory, Disaster Recovery Help Pages, the Catch UP webinar series, Amicus Brief Library, and WRAP Resource Center, along with survey research publications. All offerings are free public goods funded by foundation grants and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Roadmap to Recovery Program A consumer-facing program that provides resources, guidance, and support to insurance consumers who are navigating or recovering from insurance claims following a loss. It is free to consumers and is designed to help policyholders understand their rights and successfully resolve claims.
• Roadmap to Preparedness Program A consumer-facing program that educates policyholders on how to prepare for potential losses, understand their coverage, and document their property and belongings ahead of an insurance claim event. It is free and aimed at individuals and households.
• Advocacy and Action Program A program through which United Policyholders engages with insurers, regulators, and policymakers to advocate for stronger consumer protections and fairer insurance practices. It serves consumers indirectly by working to improve the broader insurance system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 69% of households report being underinsured by an average of $247/sq ft (2025 LA Wildfires Year One Survey)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Listos CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting United Policyholders' Roadmap to Preparedness Program and WRAP Resource Center in California for wildfire mitigation and disaster readiness.
• Financial Planning Association, Los Angeles Chapter (FPA/LA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUP collaborated with FPA/LA to host a one-day Roadmap to Recovery Financial Decision-Making Clinic featuring pro bono consultations with Certified Financial Planner volunteers.
• American Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast funder and potential strategic partner for disaster recovery and preparedness initiatives.
• Boise State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner helping refine survey questions and data analysis for United Policyholders' Roadmap to Recovery and Marketplace surveys to ensure integrity of results.
• California Western Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner helping refine survey questions and data analysis for United Policyholders' research to ensure integrity of results.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner helping refine survey questions and data analysis for United Policyholders' research to ensure integrity of results.
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2009, UP has been selected to be an official consumer representative to the NAIC, providing consumer viewpoints and input on regulatory processes affecting insurance consumers across all 50 states.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Consumer Reports: Major non-profit consumer advocacy and information organization. Like UP, it operates independently of industry funding and provides trustworthy consumer information, but covers a much broader set of product categories rather than specializing in insurance.
• Consumer Federation of America: National non-profit consumer advocacy federation that engages in research, advocacy, and education across consumer issues including insurance. Comparable in mission, independent funding model, and Washington-based policy engagement.
• Public Citizen: Non-profit consumer rights advocacy organization founded by Ralph Nader. Comparable as an independent consumer advocacy voice with policy influence, though broader in scope than insurance.
• U.S. PIRG: Federation of state Public Interest Research Groups advocating for consumer rights and public interest. Comparable as a non-profit advocacy organization with state-level grassroots structure and independent funding.
• National Consumer Law Center: Non-profit focused on consumer law and policy for low-income consumers. Comparable as an advocacy and information resource operating independently on consumer financial and insurance issues.
• Center for Justice & Democracy: Non-profit consumer advocacy organization focused on civil justice and insurance issues. The most directly comparable peer given its specific focus on insurance and civil-justice policy advocacy.

Others

• Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I): Insurance industry-funded education and information organization. Functions as an information resource for consumers, but represents the industry-side perspective that UP counterweights; comparable in form (insurance information resource) but opposite in viewpoint and funding source.
• Better Business Bureau: Non-profit consumer information and business accreditation organization. Comparable as a consumer-trust institution, though its scope is broader and its funding model (business memberships) differs from UP's foundation/donation model.
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC): U.S. state insurance regulator organization that UP has engaged with as an official consumer representative since 2009. Not a peer in the competitive sense, but a key institutional counterparty and access point for UP's regulatory advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross: Large-scale disaster relief and preparedness non-profit. UP partners with the Red Cross and overlaps in disaster recovery services, but Red Cross is much broader and operates immediate-relief rather than insurance-claim navigation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uphelp
• Facebookfacebook.com/UPHELP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Policyholders