static{
    CLAN_DEFAULTS.put(".type", "hostile");
    CLAN_DEFAULTS.put(".Description", defDescription);
    CLAN_DEFAULTS.put(".users", null);
}

// later in the code

private void loadClanFiles(){
    if(ClansFile.exists()){
        plugin.log.info("[PhantomClans] loading clan files");
        clans = new Configuration(ClansFile);
        clans.load();
        // for each clan in the original list
        for(String m_clans : plugin.getClans() ){
            // for each property in the static list above
            plugin.log.info("Writing for " + m_clans);
            for(String prop : CLAN_DEFAULTS.keySet()){
                plugin.log.info("Writing for " + prop);
                if (clans.getProperty("clans." + m_clans + prop) == null) {
                    clans.setProperty("clans." + m_clans + prop, CLAN_DEFAULTS.get("clans." + m_clans + prop));
                }
            }
        }
    } else {
        plugin.log.info("[PhantomClans] creating default clan structures");
        try {
            plugin.getDataFolder().mkdir();
            ClansFile.createNewFile();
            clans = new Configuration(ClansFile);
            // default values TODO: make it so the default list isn't the only one used in the "for each"
            for(String m_clans : plugin.getClans()){
                // for each property in the static list above
                for(String prop : CLAN_DEFAULTS.keySet()){
                    // this might be very ugly, but if it works, I like it
                    clans.setProperty("clans." + m_clans + prop, CLAN_DEFAULTS.get("clans." + m_clans + prop));
                }
            }
            clans.save();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            plugin.log.warning(e.toString());
        }
    }
}