Homeowners face growing home insurance threat beyond cost
Homeowners face growing home insurance threat beyond cost

Rising homeowners insurance premiums have forced millions of American property owners to rethink their household budgets over the past two years. A first-of-its-kind analysis from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) suggests that rising costs may be only one part of a much larger…
Why insurance matters to renters, landlords and California
Why insurance matters to renters, landlords and California

Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the most important issues in the Golden State. A year and a half after the Eaton Fire, Gil Barel…
Four myths about insurance in California
Four myths about insurance in California

Many Californians have seen rising costs, less availability and are running into other issues with insurance — including delays and denials of their claims — in the past several years. As climate change increases the risk of wildfires and other disasters, it’s important to know…
Setting the Record Straight: Common Insurance Myths California Homeowners Should Know
Setting the Record Straight: Common Insurance Myths California Homeowners Should Know

Southern Californians have watched insurance costs climb, coverage options shrink, and claim disputes multiply in recent years, and much of what people believe about why is simply wrong. As wildfire risk grows alongside a warming climate, understanding how the insurance market actually works matters more…
Four myths about insurance in California
Four myths about insurance in California

Many Californians have seen rising costs, less availability and are running into other issues with insurance — including delays and denials of their claims — in the past several years. As climate change increases the risk of wildfires and other disasters, it’s important to know…
More California Communities Adopting Zone 0 Policy for Fire Safety
More California Communities Adopting Zone 0 Policy for Fire Safety

Insurance companies pushing homeowners to adopt Zone 0 policy for wildfire safety Catastrophic wildfires have devastated California in recent years. In the aftermath, we often ask ourselves – how do we make sure this doesn’t happen again? State officials are slowly phasing in one of…
Is Your Home Underinsured? Here’s How to Tell.
Is Your Home Underinsured? Here’s How to Tell.

Your house isn’t just a place to hang your hat — it’s also one of your most valuable financial assets. That’s why homeowners without enough insurance can face financial ruin when disaster strikes and they find themselves suddenly homeless and unable to rebuild. The problem…
Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster?
Is Climate Disaster Insurance a Worsening Disaster?

When Hurricane Helene inundated and wiped out large swaths of North Carolina and Tennessee in 2024, in some counties fewer than 2% of residents had flood insurance. Today, many still have not recovered. Climate disasters are getting worse. It’s not just floods. The 2018 Camp…
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…
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…
Homeowners insurance premiums have soared in recent years. How to reduce your costs
Homeowners insurance premiums have soared in recent years. How to reduce your costs

Homeowners insurance costs have risen sharply for many people around the U.S. in recent years. Policyholders looking to reduce their premiums have some relatively straightforward options, according to insurance experts. Other maneuvers require a financial investment that could ultimately save money in the long run,…
The Home-Insurance Coin Flip: Nearly Half of Claims Result in Zero Payout
The Home-Insurance Coin Flip: Nearly Half of Claims Result in Zero Payout

When disaster strikes, many Americans face a near flip-of-the-coin chance that their home insurer will pay a claim. And the problem is getting worse. The five biggest home-insurers as a group didn’t pay out on more than 44% of claims resolved last year, forcing homeowners…
42% of homeowners say insurance costs have gone up ‘a lot,’ survey finds. Here’s why
42% of homeowners say insurance costs have gone up ‘a lot,’ survey finds. Here’s why

Homeowners insurance costs have been rising fast in the U.S. — and policyholders are taking notice. About 71% of homeowners said the cost of their homeowners insurance has increased over the past few years, with 42% saying costs have gone up “a lot,” according to…
U.S. homeowners insurance costs keep rising as climate and inflation pressures build
U.S. homeowners insurance costs keep rising as climate and inflation pressures build

Homeowners across the U.S. are facing steeper insurance bills as premiums rise faster than many household budgets can absorb. The increases are widening cost pressures in housing and could affect property values and financial stability as coverage becomes more expensive and, in some areas, harder…
California FAIR Plan set to increase rates for most policyholders
California FAIR Plan set to increase rates for most policyholders

California’s home insurance plan of last resort is set to increase rates for policyholders later this year. California FAIR Plan announced an average 30% rate increase for policyholders, according to multiple reports. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that rates, which are set to change after…
This S.F. homeowner lost insurance because of a flat roof. Could it happen to you?
This S.F. homeowner lost insurance because of a flat roof. Could it happen to you?

California’s largest insurers cover certain types of roofs and avoid others. Wood-shake roofs and old roofs are also common concerns. Read more