Column: As California burns, here’s what you need to know about fire insurance
7 years, 5 months ago

Column: As California burns, here’s what you need to know about fire insurance

LA Times  

Neighbors console each other in front of a home that burned in Anaheim Hills. “All those commercials about insurance companies offering peace of mind when things like this happen — those are just ads,” said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a San Francisco-based advocacy group. Homeowners in high-risk areas who can’t find coverage in the open market may have to turn to a state- If there’s one takeaway from the blazes now causing widespread damage in the Golden State, it’s for homeowners and renters to make sure their coverage is up to date — and that nothing sneaky has made its way into your policy. “We’re seeing issues with smoke and ash damaging homes and insurance companies playing games,” Shirvanian said. Many homeowners policies include so-called ALE coverage, as in “additional living expenses,” which will include costs such as hotel rooms, food and rentals.

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History of this topic

People are buying up burned lots in LA. Should they be concerned about future fires?
1 month ago

People are buying up burned lots in LA. Should they be concerned about future fires?

CNN  

CNN — In pricey Los Angeles, where single-family homes under $1 million are hard to come by, even destructive fires haven’t deterred willing buyers. As climate change intensifies natural disasters, local governments should think proactively, buying up damaged property from homeowners in disaster-prone areas and building “buffer zones” to better prepare for when the next extreme weather event hits, said …

What to know about home insurance coverage after a major natural disaster
1 month, 3 weeks ago

What to know about home insurance coverage after a major natural disaster

Associated Press  

SEATTLE — It’s one thing to fix your home after something basic has gone wrong, but it’s a different beast to rebuild and recover after a major natural disaster has destroyed multiple properties on your street, in your neighborhood or across the region. If you have “actual cash value” coverage, that means the dollar limits listed are only intended to …

Letters to the Editor: Why can’t I get my concrete fire-resistant home insured?
2 months ago

Letters to the Editor: Why can’t I get my concrete fire-resistant home insured?

LA Times  

To the editor: So, David Steiner’s concrete home is the sole survivor in a destroyed Malibu neighborhood. True, but they did not cancel our neighbor’s late-1950s wood-frame home in the same zone. We hear that insurers in California are mandated to consider a home’s fire-resistant elements. Local and state ordinances can be the start — that would be the best …

Los Angeles wildfires: Lessons from the disaster and why Indian homeowners should insure their properties
2 months, 1 week ago

Los Angeles wildfires: Lessons from the disaster and why Indian homeowners should insure their properties

Hindustan Times  

Even before the Los Angeles wildfires burned thousands of homes, property insurers had chosen not to renew thousands of home insurance policies in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and other areas, media reports have said. Media reports have said that wildfires impacted California’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, including homes owned by Hollywood stars around Santa Monica and Malibu, affecting areas with a median home …

LA wildfires: Is insurance the next battlefront for California residents?
2 months, 1 week ago

LA wildfires: Is insurance the next battlefront for California residents?

Al Jazeera  

Before the Los Angeles wildfires, insurers such as State Farm started to pull out of fire-prone California. Brooklyn-based reporter Jake Bittle told the PBS network that State Farm and other insurers dropped or limited policies in California because “the state of California had limited the amount that insurance companies could charge to their customers.” In 1988, California passed a ballot …

Why your insurance costs may go up even if your home wasn’t burned in L.A. wildfires
2 months, 1 week ago

Why your insurance costs may go up even if your home wasn’t burned in L.A. wildfires

LA Times  

A woman takes a moment to process the loss of her home in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 11, 2025. For Dave Jones, director of UC Berkeley’s Climate Risk Initiative and the state’s former insurance commissioner, L.A. County fires tragically provide “more evidence that we are continuing to march towards an uninsurable future, because we’re not doing enough, fast enough to …

First, they lost their home insurance. Then, L.A. fires consumed their homes
2 months, 2 weeks ago

First, they lost their home insurance. Then, L.A. fires consumed their homes

LA Times  

The charred remains of a home on Tonia Avenue in Altadena burned by the Eaton fire. Business How the devastating Los Angeles fires could deepen California’s home insurance crisis The massive fires that have destroyed much of Pacific Palisades and demolished thousands of homes and structures in Los Angeles County threaten an effort to fix California’s troubled home insurance market. …

Will California homeowners relocate or rebuild? Both are costly
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Will California homeowners relocate or rebuild? Both are costly

CNN  

CNN — Tens of thousands of California residents will decide whether to permanently relocate or rebuild their homes after the most destructive fires in Los Angeles’ history. “The policy is generally going to cover the cost of additional living expenses while you are out of your home, to maintain what is kind of your usual standard of living,” said Karen …

How the wildfires in the Los Angeles area could affect California's home insurance market
2 months, 2 weeks ago

How the wildfires in the Los Angeles area could affect California's home insurance market

India Today  

SACRAMENTO: The wildfires that destroyed homes in multiple sections of the Los Angeles area will test California’s efforts to stabilize the state’s insurance marketplace after many insurers stopped issuing residential policies due to the high fire risk. California homeowners in wildfire-prone areas either go without insurance or join the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, which the state created as …

The LA wildfires will cause chaos for California’s home insurance market
2 months, 2 weeks ago

The LA wildfires will cause chaos for California’s home insurance market

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The wildfires that destroyed …

How the wildfires in Los Angeles area could affect California’s home insurance market
Trending News
2 months, 2 weeks ago

How the wildfires in Los Angeles area could affect California’s home insurance market

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The wildfires that destroyed homes in multiple sections of the Los Angeles area will test California’s efforts to stabilize the state’s insurance marketplace after many insurers stopped issuing residential policies due to the high fire risk. California homeowners in wildfire-prone areas either go without insurance or join the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, which the state …

The Los Angeles Fires Will Put California’s New Insurance Rules to the Test
55 years, 2 months ago

The Los Angeles Fires Will Put California’s New Insurance Rules to the Test

Wired  

This story originally appeared on Grist and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Over the past five years, California has become a poster child for what climate-fueled weather disasters can do to a state’s home insurance market. “With input from thousands of residents throughout California, this reform balances protecting consumers with the need to strengthen our market against climate …

California homeowners face double whammy amid non-renewals of insurances as wildfires rage
2 months, 2 weeks ago

California homeowners face double whammy amid non-renewals of insurances as wildfires rage

Live Mint  

Los Angeles Fires: As wildfires continue to devastate large areas of Los Angeles, homeowners are grappling with a growing insurance crisis that complicates their recovery efforts. With nearly 2,000 structures destroyed and over 130,000 residents evacuated, the situation has become dire, prompting urgent discussions about the future of homeowners' insurance in California. The California insurance crisis refers to the increasing …

How the devastating Los Angeles fires could deepen California’s home insurance crisis
2 months, 2 weeks ago

How the devastating Los Angeles fires could deepen California’s home insurance crisis

LA Times  

When raging wildfires tore through Pacific Palisades and other local communities this week, they not only left a path of destruction reminiscent of a World War II bombing campaign, but threatened to deepen a crisis that has already left hundreds of thousands of Californians struggling to find and keep affordable homeowners insurance. This just proves insurers’ point that the risk …

California overhauled its insurance system. Then Los Angeles caught fire.
2 months, 2 weeks ago

California overhauled its insurance system. Then Los Angeles caught fire.

Raw Story  

On Tuesday, after a ferocious Santa Ana windstorm blew through Southern California, a severe brush fire broke out in the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, burning 1,000 structures and forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate as of Wednesday afternoon. “With input from thousands of residents throughout California, this reform balances protecting consumers with the need to …

California will soon require insurers to increase home coverage in wildfire-prone areas
Trending News
2 months, 3 weeks ago

California will soon require insurers to increase home coverage in wildfire-prone areas

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance companies that stopped providing home coverage to hundreds of thousands of Californians in recent years as wildfires became more destructive will have to again provide policies in fire-prone areas if they want to keep doing business in California under a state regulation announced Monday. The rule will require home insurers to offer coverage in high-risk areas, …

Wildfires in California have burned 1 million acres so far this year. Heat wave poses more risk
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Wildfires in California have burned 1 million acres so far this year. Heat wave poses more risk

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — The total acres burned in California this year surpassed 1 million as spiking temperatures Tuesday added to the challenges facing firefighters struggling to contain a stubborn blaze in the mountains northeast of Los Angeles that flared up over the weekend. Evacuation orders were expanded again Monday for remote communities northeast of Los Angeles as the Line Fire …

California home insurance program accused of selling policies with subpar fire coverage
8 months ago

California home insurance program accused of selling policies with subpar fire coverage

LA Times  

Because of policy changes, a lawsuit claims, thousands of wildfire claims have been improperly denied. But since 2017, the lawsuit claims, the FAIR Plan began limiting coverage after state officials approved a standard policy that, among other provisions, paid for smoke damage only if it was detectable to the unaided eye or nose of an average person rather than requiring …

With fires burning again, is California becoming uninsurable?
9 months, 1 week ago

With fires burning again, is California becoming uninsurable?

LA Times  

Thursday marks the beginning of summer, but early wildfires have already scorched the outskirts of L.A. and the Bay Area. While the giant wildfires of 2017 and 2018 had a huge impact, requiring insurers to pay claims equivalent to more than 20 years of profits, the state’s insurance problems predate the fires. California’s failure to update the old rules governing …

Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing

Associated Press  

BOISE, Idaho — Months after a catastrophic fire burned more than 2,200 homes in Hawaii, some property owners are getting more bad news — their property insurance won’t be renewed because their insurance company has deemed the risk too high. “I think most of the insurers, you know, I’m very grateful that they’re committed to the Hawaii market, so we …

Flood damage raises alarms about California’s next ‘disaster insurance gap’
1 year, 1 month ago

Flood damage raises alarms about California’s next ‘disaster insurance gap’

LA Times  

Dakota Rivas, 32 — with husband Walter, 42, and daughter Maleeyah, 9 — inspects the family’s modular home in West Hills, which was damaged by a mudslide last week. That’s because in Los Angeles County, home to nearly 10 million people, there are just 14,580 flood insurance policies on the books. “Most insurance policies, typically, unless you have flood insurance, …

The vast majority of California flood victims’ losses won’t be covered by insurance
1 year, 1 month ago

The vast majority of California flood victims’ losses won’t be covered by insurance

CNN  

New York CNN — Many victims of the massive storms now battering Southern California about are to be hit with another heartbreak - discovering their insurance won’t cover the damage. Story highlights Less than 1% of homes in the affected area have flood insurance LA has over 10 million residents but fewer than 15,000 flood insurance policies Federal flood insurance …

California home insurers plan return to fire zones under new deal
1 year, 6 months ago

California home insurers plan return to fire zones under new deal

LA Times  

Firefighters enter a home in flames during the Saddleridge fire. After a summer that saw many of California’s top home insurers pull back from the state market, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced Thursday that he struck a deal with the insurance industry to encourage new coverage in the state. Gavin Newsom also issued an executive order on Thursday afternoon commanding …

California aims to lower fire insurance costs for homeowners
2 years, 6 months ago

California aims to lower fire insurance costs for homeowners

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California moved Wednesday to become the first state to lower insurance costs for property owners who make improvements to reduce their fire risk, the state’s insurance commissioner said as wildfires again flared across the heat-stricken state. Lara said in a statement that the new regulations “will help more Californians find insurance they can afford” and “will save …

California sets home, community standards to lower fire risk
3 years, 1 month ago

California sets home, community standards to lower fire risk

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A fire-resistant roof, at least 5 feet of defensible space around a home, a clearly defined evacuation route in a neighborhood and the removal of vegetation overgrowth in a community are some of the new statewide insurance standards to reduce the wildfire risk of older homes, California officials announced Monday. Dubbed “Safer from Wildfires,” the new standards …

If you live in a fire-prone part of California, this road map can help you save on insurance
3 years, 1 month ago

If you live in a fire-prone part of California, this road map can help you save on insurance

LA Times  

With the fire season growing longer and wildfires increasing in intensity, Californians living in fire-prone areas are having a harder time finding affordable insurance for their homes — if they can find coverage at all. For more detailed suggestions, consult Cal Fire’s “Hardening Your Home” site, its low-cost retrofit list and the University of California’s preparing your home webpage. The …

Opinion: Wildfires are increasingly destructive. We need to reevaluate how and where we build our homes
4 years, 5 months ago

Opinion: Wildfires are increasingly destructive. We need to reevaluate how and where we build our homes

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Alice Hill is the David M. Rubenstein senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations and previously served as senior director for resilience policy in the Obama White House. In fact, a recent analysis of some areas that burned in Australia earlier this year revealed that “once a building catches fire, regardless of …

Wildfires cause turmoil in CA property insurance market
5 years, 3 months ago

Wildfires cause turmoil in CA property insurance market

India TV News  

Kent Michitsch seemed to be running out of traditional options to insure the home he’s lived in for more than 30 years northeast of San Diego as California’s massive property insurance market reels from three consecutive years of destructive wildfires. State Farm, the largest insurer in the state, Allstate and other insurers declined to renew roughly 350,000 policies in areas …

California bans insurers from dropping coverage to another 200,000 fire-prone homes
5 years, 3 months ago

California bans insurers from dropping coverage to another 200,000 fire-prone homes

LA Times  

The Sandalwood fire at the Calimesa Mobile Home Park left several people killed and many homes ruined. California on Wednesday expanded its one-year ban on home insurers dropping policies in wildfire-hit areas to include 200,000 more homes, including in San Bernardino County and Northern California, the Department of Insurance announced. “This wildfire insurance crisis has been years in the making, …

Column: California fires will result in higher insurance rates for homeowners
5 years, 4 months ago

Column: California fires will result in higher insurance rates for homeowners

LA Times  

The insurance industry says “three historically bad years for wildfires” will lead to rate hikes for most homeowners. Rates going forward have to reflect past losses.” Michael Soller, a spokesman for the state Department of Insurance, said his office has heard reports of rates tripling for some homeowners. “Homeowners insurance companies are imposing extreme rate hikes and abruptly non-renewing homeowners …

Parts of California are too wildfire-prone to insure
5 years, 7 months ago

Parts of California are too wildfire-prone to insure

Salon  

California is facing yet another real estate-related crisis, but we’re not talking about its sky-high home prices. Last winter when we wrote about home insurance rates possibly going up in the wake of California’s massive, deadly fires, the insurance industry representatives we interviewed were skeptical. But now, the data is in and it’s really happening: Insurance companies aren’t renewing policies …

California insurers drop policies in high-fire risk areas
5 years, 7 months ago

California insurers drop policies in high-fire risk areas

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — New California data shows insurance companies declined to renew nearly 350,000 home insurance policies in areas at high risk for wildfire since the state began collecting data in 2015. But the insurance industry noted the number of non-renewed policies remained fairly steady year-over-year and said many insurers are still offering policies in high-risk fire areas. “This data …

Insurance claims at $9 billion from California fires
6 years, 3 months ago

Insurance claims at $9 billion from California fires

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance claims from last month’s California wildfires already are at $9 billion and expected to increase, the state’s insurance commissioner announced Wednesday. About $7 billion in claims are from the Camp Fire that destroyed the Northern California city of Paradise and killed at least 86 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in at least a century. …

Some Californians are hiring private fire crews to save their homes. Regular firefighters aren’t happy about it
6 years, 4 months ago

Some Californians are hiring private fire crews to save their homes. Regular firefighters aren’t happy about it

LA Times  

A private fire crew from AIG Wildfire Protection Unit staged at a home threatened by the Sand Fire on July 24th, 2016 off of Sand Canyon Rd north of the Angeles National Forest. “I don’t take that for granted, and that was such a blessing that we were able to do that.” Crews deployed by insurance companies don’t exclusively serve …

As California fire disasters worsen, insurers are pulling out and stranding homeowners
6 years, 6 months ago

As California fire disasters worsen, insurers are pulling out and stranding homeowners

LA Times  

The ruins of a home that burned in the 2015 Valley Fire in Middletown. Lake County residents were among the first to confront the insurance issue after the Valley fire in October 2015, which destroyed nearly 2,000 buildings in Lake, Sonoma and Napa counties and at the time ranked as the fifth-worst wildfire insurance disaster in California’s history. “A healthy …

Nearly $12 billion in insurance claims have been filed due to California wildfires
7 years, 1 month ago

Nearly $12 billion in insurance claims have been filed due to California wildfires

LA Times  

Insurance claims for last year’s deadly California wildfires have reached $11.8 billion, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Wednesday. Insurers in California have received more than $11.7 billion in claims from wildfires that ripped across Northern and Southern California last year, the state insurance commissioner announced Wednesday. “If you treat these October and December fires as a combined incident, these insured …

Insured losses top $1 billion in Northern California fires
7 years, 5 months ago

Insured losses top $1 billion in Northern California fires

LA Times  

Deadly wildfires in Northern California have caused over $1 billion in losses. Preliminary loss figures released Thursday by State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones estimate total insured losses at $1.045 billion. With cool temperatures and a small dose of rain expected Thursday, the objective in the days to come will be to make sure no spot fires grow out of control …

Two Northern California fires cause at least $1 billion in insured losses
9 years, 2 months ago

Two Northern California fires cause at least $1 billion in insured losses

LA Times  

Firefighters monitor a backfire Sept. 13 as they battle the Valley fire near Middletown, Calif. Two deadly Northern California wildfires that scorched more than 140,000 acres, ravaged homes and devoured firefighting resources in September have amounted to at least $1 billion in insured losses so far, according to a state insurance department report. See the most-read stories this hour >> …

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