Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Archives

California legislators fail to repair home insurance market before end of session

September 21, 2023September 21, 2023 Nordstrom

Home insurance - Failure and frustration

Though several deals arrived at the last moment, none of them included the sought-after proposal. Even as a slew of deals appeared at the last moment ahead of the close of California’s legislative session, none were the home insurance market fix many were waiting for to help keep insurers in the state despite the rapidly climbing wildfire risks. The key deadline came and went without a bill that would help to stave off a crisis in the state. As a new home insurance bill didn’t appear in the last session,…

California signs heat wave ranking and early warning system law

September 15, 2022September 14, 2022 Nordstrom

Signing AB 2238 is labeling the state as a world leader in efforts for protection against climate change effects. California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 2238 into law, creating the first statewide heat wave ranking and early warning system to help state residents to prepare. AB 2238 was sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to help protect Californians. The bill was co-authored by Assemblymembers Luz Rivas, Eduardo Garcia, and Cristina Garcia. It will create the first statewide ranking and early warning system in the country for heat waves…

Appeals court shuts down California home insurance ruling

November 9, 2021November 5, 2021 H. Cutner

Consumer advocates say they’ll be bringing the case to the California Supreme Court. A California home insurance ruling has been overturned in appeals court, but consumer advocates say they’ll take the case to the state supreme court to reverse that decision. Consumer advocates said the ruling undermines the ability of the state to order billions in refunds. The state appeals court in San Diego rejected a 2016 finding from the state insurance commissioner, which found that a subsidiary of State Farm was overcharging on its California home insurance rates. The…

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 Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Apologizes for Accepting Industry Contributions

September 10, 2019September 5, 2019 H. Cutner

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara - Government Portrait from 2016

Lara released a letter last week that acknowledged that his campaign had solicited those contributions. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has said he was sorry for having both solicited campaign contributions from the insurance industry and for having accepted them. Last Tuesday, he issued a letter in which he acknowledged the activity as well as his regret for having done so despite a campaign pledge he had made not to accept contributions from insurers. The letter was issued to a number of groups, including Public Advocates, United Policyholders and Health…