california wildfire insurance Archives

California takes different tack than Florida to beat home insurance crisis

September 14, 2023September 13, 2023 Marc

Home insurance - Home on fire - Option A Option B

Officials in the state are looking for options to support property insurers in wildfire prone regions. California officials are working to avoid facing a similar situation in their home insurance market to that faced by officials in Florida. Florida residents are livid with their elected officials for allowing premiums to skyrocket to current levels. Catastrophic storms have been sending home insurance rates steadily and steeply upward in Florida. California is aiming to avoid the same situation due to the regular and devastating storms blasting their way through. State officials in…

California wildfire risk increases homeowners’ insurance challenge

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020 G. Turner

California wildfire risk - homes near fire

Insurers are facing massive losses and have been withdrawing from areas prone to fires. The California wildfire risk has been causing problems for homeowners in the state that extend beyond the devastation left behind by the widespread uncontrolled blazes that are becoming increasingly problematic. As massive blazes become more commonplace, the cost associated with them is sending insurers away. Due to the California wildfire risk, insurers are falling out of love with the opportunity to insurer the properties there, particularly in areas most prone to the fires. “The marketplace has…

Seek wildfire insurance reimbursement, says California’s Commissioner Lara

August 24, 2020August 22, 2020 H. Cutner

Wildfire insurance reimbursement - fire burning

Ricardo Lara recommends homeowners and renters carefully record their expenses. California residents who have been evacuated are being encouraged to record their expenses in order to seek wildfire insurance reimbursement regardless of whether or not their properties are ultimately damaged or destroyed. The recommendation was made by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Commissioner Lara pointed out that homeowners’ policies will often cover relocation costs, even when not seeking direct wildfire insurance reimbursement for damage or destruction of property. Earlier this month, more than 10,000 lightning strikes over a single weekend led…

California wildfire preparedness takes the spotlight as evacuations rise

November 5, 2019November 3, 2019 Julie Campbell

California wildfire preparedness - forest fire

Thousands of residents are learning how to prepare as power outages and smoky conditions increase. California wildfire preparedness has become an important topic in the state as blazes continue to rage in various parts of the state, including in regions around Los Angeles. As the threat of fire intensifies and evacuations increase, residents are learning how to be ready. Residents who have not already made a California wildfire preparedness plan are being advised to do so. The reason is that there isn’t always a lot of advance warning before the…

California insurance industry will face more wildfire losses in 2018

August 6, 2018August 2, 2018 Logan B.

California Insurance Industry - Wildfires

A new Moody’s report shows that insurance companies will endure more wildfire losses this year. The California insurance industry isn’t getting a year off from wildfire losses after facing a costly year in 2017. A new Moody’s Investors Service Inc. report showed that despite current losses, there will likely still be another major wildfire loss event this year. The Carr wildfire in California has caused about an estimated $1.5 billion in insured losses. After the California insurance industry copes with the $1.5 billion in losses likely already caused by the…

California wildfire insurance stirs up heat between industry and state lawmakers

May 1, 2018April 28, 2018 Logan B.

California wildfire insurance - forest fire

The state Senate Insurance Committee is taking on the insurance industry regarding this coverage. California wildfire insurance was a hot topic, so to speak, between insurers and the State Insurance Committee. The committee is chaired by Senator Steve Glazer (D), widely considered to be the most moderate senator in the upper house. The Senate Insurance Committee voted on to bills that will dictate the future of wildfire coverage. The vote took place on Friday for the two bills. These bills were designed to make significant changes to the way California…

California wildfire insurance losses have reached $3.3 billion and continue to rise

November 3, 2017November 1, 2017 Nordstrom

A new report from the state Department of Insurance released figures based on claims reported by 15 insurers. The losses faced by California wildfire insurance companies continue to rise as the figure has now broken the $3.3 billion mark. That number was revealed by the California Department of Insurance and is based on the claims data reported by 15 insurers in the state. That figure only represents the current losses faced by the insurers but the total for the year will only get higher. That data is based on California…