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Hi Lauren,
This is an unfortunate situation, and you are right to be pursuing transparency. To answer your core question: No, this is not normal, and it is problematic.

An insurance agent has a duty to clearly inform you of any material changes to your coverage, especially those that reduce limits (such as Coverage B and Coverage C) or fundamentally alter your protection (such as changes to Coverage A or Extended Replacement Cost). The fact that these changes only came to light after a total loss is concerning.

You need to approach this issue on two fronts: the claim and the agent/agency.

The Claim: Challenging the Reduced Limits
Your immediate goal should be to argue that the claim should be settled based on the coverage limits in effect under your prior policy, since the reductions were never clearly disclosed to you or affirmatively accepted.
Actionable steps for the claim:

Request documentation of consent.

While it is not uncommon for agents to suggest coverage alterations to offset premium increases, best practice dictates that any coverage reductions or other material changes must be confirmed in writing (by email or signed form) by the insured.

Demand: Send a formal written request to both the claims adjuster and the agent asking for copies of any signed request, electronic authorization, or written confirmation in which you agreed to the specific changes—particularly the reduction in Coverage B (Other Structures) and Coverage C (Personal Property).

Rationale: If no such documentation exists, you have a strong basis to argue that your claim should be adjusted using the prior, higher policy limits.

Address potential misrepresentation.

The agent’s statement that Coverage A and Extended Replacement Cost were “basically the same,” when they are not, is an important detail. Document this communication, as it may support a claim of misrepresentation or inadequate disclosure regarding the policy changes.

The Agent and Agency: Obtaining Transparency

You mentioned that your prior attempts to get answers have not been successful. At this point, it may help to shift from general questions about how things happened to specific, document-based requests that require verifiable responses.
A More Effective Way to Ask Your Questions

Instead of asking:
“Why did this happen?” or
“How was this decided?”

Focus on questions such as:
“How did my personal property limit change?”
“Why were new endorsements added to my policy?”

You should also ask the agent to provide:
The signed form or email in which you authorized the reduction of Coverage C from 55% to 40% of Coverage A.
The renewal declaration page and all accompanying disclosure forms, coverage summaries, and policy documents that were sent to you prior to the renewal date.

Regarding the premium increase, it is reasonable to ask for greater clarity:Request a full, itemized, side-by-side comparison of the prior policy’s premium and the renewal policy’s premium, identifying all changes in base rates, endorsements, coverage limits, and applicable fees.

Escalation and Complaint Options
If you continue to receive incomplete answers or no documentation, you may need to escalate the matter.

Internal escalation:
Send your written requests to the claims adjuster, the agent, and the carrier’s consumer affairs department or ombudsman, if one exists. Requesting contact information for the agent’s regional manager and the claims supervisor can also help move the process forward and is often a necessary step before filing a regulatory complaint.

Formal complaint:
If you are unable to obtain the requested documentation or reach an acceptable resolution, you may file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance (CDI). The CDI regulates both insurance companies and agents and can investigate allegations of misrepresentation or failure to disclose material policy changes. Given the scope of the undisclosed reductions and their impact on your claim, filing a complaint would be reasonable.

I sincerely hope you are able to obtain clarity and a fair resolution. If you want, I can also tighten this further for posting, flag any phrases that could trigger defensive responses, or align it exactly with UP’s published AAE voice guidelines.

Kindly, Fawn

Lauren, I’m really sorry for what you’ve been through. You raise several really important issues, so I’m going to think out loud a bit here in hopes of giving you clarity and pointing you in the right direction.

Big renewal changes + rate spike — is this “normal”?

Unfortunately, yes—what you’re describing has become pretty typical in the current California market, even though it absolutely doesn’t feel normal from a consumer standpoint. Carriers have been rolling out new “editions” of their policies at renewal, with extra coverages, shifted sublimits, and big rate adjustments. The communication is rarely clear, so relying on your agent made total sense.

High default personal property and separate structures limits

Historically, carriers locked Personal Property (Coverage C) and Other Structures (Coverage B) to a fixed percentage of Coverage A—usually 10% for B and 60–75% for C. Only recently have they started allowing people to dial these down. So your original higher limits weren’t unusual, and the later decreases (B dropping and C going to 40%) fit with the newer “customizable” packages a lot of carriers are offering.

The real issue isn’t the numbers—it’s that these changes weren’t perhaps authorized.

Dwelling Coverage Changes & ERC

What you described (lower coverage A, higher ERC, higher deductible, new endorsements) is something I do see agents use as a premium-reduction strategy, but it still requires full transparency. And ERC is not a true substitute for adequate Coverage A which you are now learning.

If these changes weren’t explained or authorized, that’s a significant issue.

Unneeded or irrelevant package coverages

This part is also very common. Carriers bundle a bunch of sublimits and optional extras—like HOA coverage—even when they don’t apply. Some are helpful, some are fluff. They are trying to make these policies more customizable so hopefully they continue to improve on this.

What to do now

Since your home has already been lost and you’re deep into the claim, I think you should get more aggressive in your efforts. Based on your policy structure, you’re likely with one of the major carriers (Farmers, Travelers, Safeco/Liberty, etc.), and they all have internal processes for investigating agent errors or unauthorized policy changes.

Here’s how I’d approach it:

Step 1 — Gather documentation

Look through all communications to confirm whether the agent ever:

explained the proposed changes,

quoted them,

asked for approval, or

documented your consent.

Step 2 — Start Reaching Out (Carrier, Claims Adjuster, Supervisors, etc)

I would contact your adjuster, claims supervisor and the carrier directly to communicate your issues and concerns. Don’t give up easily and settle for an overseas customer service rep. In your communication with them, I think the strongest approach is to stick to the simple facts. From everything you’ve shared, the core issue is: “My policy was endorsed or changed without my approval and without any clear explanation to me.”

Step 3 — This is definitely the more aggressive route, but if you truly feel you were wronged or that material changes were made without your knowledge, it’s a completely reasonable next step. A written notice puts everything on the record and signals that you’re taking the issue seriously.

Plug the below into ChatGPT or Claude and make it your own (copy and paste prompt below):

Please draft a first-person letter that I can send to both my insurance agent and my insurance company.

I am a homeowner in Los Angeles County who lost my home in the recent fires. My policy renewed shortly before the loss, and I later discovered that several material changes—including reductions to Coverage A, Coverage B, and Coverage C, as well as new endorsements—were made without my authorization or any clear explanation to me. These changes have resulted in financial harm.

I have attempted multiple times to get clarification from my agent’s office about how these changes were proposed, communicated, or approved, but my questions have been dismissed or ignored.

The letter should clearly express my concerns, request a full explanation, and state that I am making a written demand alleging financial losses. It should also remind the agent that agencies typically carry claims-made professional liability (E&O) insurance and that, now that they have received notice of this matter, they should promptly report it to their E&O carrier.

Make the tone firm, professional, and factual.

Good luck, Amir Filsoof