The State - News from March 1, 1985

Insurance companies were reported to be spreading out their mailings of certified letters notifying policyholders that earthquake insurance is available after many California post offices were plagued by long lines of people showing up with notices of certified mail--and often with high hopes for something more important. State law requires that notification be made by certified mail, but addressees not at home at the time of delivery get notices that do not indicate the nature of the letters. “Customers are getting mad,” said Jennifer Nicholson, spokeswoman for the Western Information Insurance Service in Santa Ana. “They go down there and wait in line for two hours and it’s just an offer to buy earthquake insurance.” Making the situation worse was the rush to purchase two-cent stamps and the new “D” stamps because of the increase in first-class postage to 22 cents.