Wildfire Evacuation Tips
Wildfire Evacuation Tips

If you are told to evacuate immediately, do so. If you think you may have to evacuate, we suggest the following ASAP: 1) Document your home and “stuff.” If you do not have a home inventory, create one before you evacuate.  Take pictures or a video of each…
Inside California’s Home Insurance Squeeze: Higher Bills, Fewer Choices
Inside California’s Home Insurance Squeeze: Higher Bills, Fewer Choices

After the LA fires, a $1 billion bill landed on providers and their customers; costs jumped 84% over 6 years, Stanford data shows. In A Nutshell Average monthly home insurance premiums for California single-family homes rose 84% between 2020 and 2026 (45% after inflation), about…
California Homeowners Face New Wildfire Deductibles
California Homeowners Face New Wildfire Deductibles

Some California homeowners are now facing new wildfire deductibles in their insurance policies, causing concern among residents and officials. Attorney Shant Karnikian, who represents Los Angeles residents affected by last year’s fires, discovered a $621,000 wildfire deductible in a client’s AIG insurance policy. This is…
Some California homeowners now face ‘wildfire deductibles.’ Why that’s a problem.
Some California homeowners now face ‘wildfire deductibles.’ Why that’s a problem.

After a Washington Post inquiry, Michael Soller, deputy commissioner of communications for the California Department of Insurance, indicated Commissioner Ricardo Lara will launch a review of these insurance policies. Read more.
Homeowners face crushing insurance cost increases
Homeowners face crushing insurance cost increases

Homeowners insurance premiums climbed 24% nationwide between 2021 and 2024, with the steepest increases hitting inland states like Utah and Illinois rather than the hurricane-prone coasts. Communities that were once considered low risk for insurance pricing are now facing double-digit rate increases. Higher construction costs…
Hoʻōla LTRG, MDS and partners celebrate Valerie Hoʻopai and ʻohana’s return home to Lahaina
Hoʻōla LTRG, MDS and partners celebrate Valerie Hoʻopai and ʻohana’s return home to Lahaina

More than 150 project partners, friends, family and community supporters gathered Friday for a home dedication and blessing honoring Valerie Hoʻopai and her ʻohana in Lahaina. The blessing marked a meaningful milestone in the Hoʻopai ʻohana’s recovery journey, as they returned to a newly rebuilt…
Battle over smoke-damaged homes from LA County wildfires could reshape fire insurance
Battle over smoke-damaged homes from LA County wildfires could reshape fire insurance

The outcome could have ramifications nationwide and either open the door to billions in additional claims or slam the door shut for homeowners. Read more.
Firewise leaders push for regional emergency preparedness
Firewise leaders push for regional emergency preparedness

More than 150 wildfire preparedness leaders, residents and fire safety professionals from across Southern California gathered in Calabasas May 9 for a regional Firewise Leader workshop focused on helping neighborhoods better prepare for increasingly severe wildfire seasons. The gathering at the Calabasas Community Center invited…
State launches ‘Disaster Recovery Tool,’ more Health Headlines
State launches ‘Disaster Recovery Tool,’ more Health Headlines

A new tool was launched this month to assist Coloradans facing natural disasters: the Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool. The resource was established under the Governor’s Office of Climate Preparedness and Disaster Recovery, which, a press release from the office said, is one of its…
Insurance commissioner candidates float bigger California role
Insurance commissioner candidates float bigger California role

A few of the candidates vying to be California’s next insurance commissioner want to address the insurance crisis by having the state take a bigger financial role. Some of the problems they’re trying to solve include: Not all insurance companies will write new policies in…
CA says State Farm violated the law in handling of insurance claims after Eaton, Palisades fires
CA says State Farm violated the law in handling of insurance claims after Eaton, Palisades fires

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Insurance giant State Farm may temporarily lose its California license after an investigation found it violated the law in its handling of claims from the 2025 wildfires. An investigation found the insurance company was slow to investigate and underpaid claims from…
State Farm May Lose Its California License. Here’s What That Means for Homeowners
State Farm May Lose Its California License. Here’s What That Means for Homeowners

California is pursuing historic legal action against its largest home insurer, but for wildfire survivors still waiting on claims, the question is whether that means relief In the aftermath of Los Angeles’ devastating 2025 wildfire season, California regulators have taken their most aggressive action yet…
Governor Polis Announces New Tool to Help Coloradans Navigate Life After Disaster
Governor Polis Announces New Tool to Help Coloradans Navigate Life After Disaster

DENVER – Today, Governor Polis announced the new Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool to help Coloradans navigate recovery and rebuild after natural disasters. This new tool provides a step-by-step guide for what to do in the aftermath, immediate and long-term, of a natural disaster. “Coloradans…
State Farm under fire for hundreds of violations — but experts say Californians won’t lose coverage
State Farm under fire for hundreds of violations — but experts say Californians won’t lose coverage

Regulators want State Farm barred from writing new policies for a year for allegedly violating state law after the Los Angeles wildfires — but experts say current customers shouldn’t panic. “Auto insurance and home insurance contracts are one year contracts, and they commenced at different…
State Farm fined by California regulators over wildfire claim violations
State Farm fined by California regulators over wildfire claim violations

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Department of Insurance has sanctioned and fined State Farm, the largest home insurer in both the state and the nation, for 432 violations of the Unfair Insurance Claims Practices Act and other laws. Claims stem from California wildfires What we…
Maui Fire Lawsuit Payouts Are Near. Few Survivors Will Break Even
Maui Fire Lawsuit Payouts Are Near. Few Survivors Will Break Even

Leslie Clark isn’t counting on money from the Maui wildfire settlement to help rebuild her family home near Front Street in Lahaina. Worrying about something out of her control “is not good for your health,” said Clark, 62, who lost her home in the August…
United Policyholders’ One-Year Los Angeles Fire Survey & the Kind of Advocacy Policyholders Deserve
United Policyholders’ One-Year Los Angeles Fire Survey & the Kind of Advocacy Policyholders Deserve

There are very few organizations in the insurance world that have earned the level of trust and respect United Policyholders has. United Policyholders (UP) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 1991 after a Northern California wildfire exposed just how devastating underinsurance and adversarial claims handling…
United Policyholders LA Wildfires Year One Survey Report
United Policyholders LA Wildfires Year One Survey Report

Full report and survey data Significant Findings: A substantial number, 69%, of households report being underinsured by an average amount of $247 per square foot. The dollar amount is a significant increase from underinsurance data we have collected from previous wildfires recovery surveys. Common claim problems continue…