Complaints dominate insurance forum
Complaints dominate insurance forum

Legislative remedy seems unlikely A forum organized by San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller last week to address California’s insurance crisis provided a lot of information about increasing costs and decreasing availability of home insurance, as well as an outlet for mounting consumer frustration. The…
Guest Column | Fifth District May Highlights: Community Events, Progress on Key Issues and Budget Talks
Guest Column | Fifth District May Highlights: Community Events, Progress on Key Issues and Budget Talks

May is shaping up to be busy in the Fifth District with several great community events and notable progress on important issues. On May 11, the 27th annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards will be at Scotts Valley High School. This is a special opportunity for…
State Farm denies renter’s claim for roof leak damages
State Farm denies renter’s claim for roof leak damages

A University City man wants moving and displacement expenses during repair work on his home. CBS 8 is Working for You to get answers after a University City man says State Farm denied his claim on a renter’s insurance policy. The man has to move…
Critter care is costly. Does pet insurance make sense?
Critter care is costly. Does pet insurance make sense?

Zoe the cat is 12 years old, and lost an eye to cancer and related complications last year. The total veterinary bill: $25,000. Zoe’s owners, Torrance residents Mike Superstein and Suzanne Erdelyi, paid the full amount because Zoe was uninsured. “I’ve had many many pets…
Sonoma County to talk fire insurance in Tuesday virtual town hall
Sonoma County to talk fire insurance in Tuesday virtual town hall

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore plans to host a virtual town hall Tuesday at 6 p.m. that’s expected to ignite much interest among homeowners — fire coverage and the lack thereof. “I’m hearing from a number of constituents — insureds with policies being pulled or…
How home insurance companies use drone aerial images to drop policies
How home insurance companies use drone aerial images to drop policies

United Policyholders told CBS 8 there’s been a dramatic increase in reports from customers getting dropped due to aerial images. Home insurance companies are taking inspections to new heights in determining whether to drop coverage or not. In the past, companies would send out inspectors…
Thompson, Huffman Host Press Conference Addressing California Insurance Crisis
Thompson, Huffman Host Press Conference Addressing California Insurance Crisis

Santa Rosa – Today, Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and Jared Huffman (CA-02) were joined by realtors, home builders, agriculture leaders, insurance leaders, and fire survivors for a press conference at Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park in support of H.R. 7849, The Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act…
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis

Amid the ongoing insurance crisis in California, Allstate says it could soon resume writing new policies, though the move would come with some conditions. Allstate Insurance stopped writing new homeowners policies in California two years ago but says it may start offering them again if…
Allstate could resume issuing new home insurance policies in CA
Allstate could resume issuing new home insurance policies in CA

Allstate, one of California’s biggest home insurers, could resume writing new homeowner policies if the department of insurance approves rule changes. The company stopped writing new homeowner policies in late 2022 because of wildfire risk and the cost of rebuilding homes. Lenny Higgins of Santa…
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis
Allstate indicates resuming new California policies amid insurance crisis

Amid the ongoing insurance crisis in California, Allstate says it could soon resume writing new policies, though the move would come with some conditions. Allstate Insurance stopped writing new homeowners policies in California two years ago but says it may start offering them again if…
Insurance commissioner, Irwin address coverage issues
Insurance commissioner, Irwin address coverage issues

Homeowners are ‘worried and upset’ Area residents concerned about the declining availability of home insurance coverage got an update this month from the regulator tasked with salvaging California’s foundering market. Ricardo Lara, insurance commissioner since 2019, appeared with Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin for an April 4…
Aerial photos are leading to insurance non-renewals
Aerial photos are leading to insurance non-renewals

InsurTech may not be a buzz word at dinner parties, but it sure is in consumer advocate circles. Turns out, “disruptive” is not such a good thing for property owners and home values, especially with climate change in the mix. Today, insurance companies are using…
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?

In 2022, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced he would force companies to offer discounts to people who take specific steps to protect their homes from wildfires. It was part of an effort, he said at the time, to “reward the hard work that California consumers…
Insurers won’t renew some homes, citing risk of earthquake-induced fires. This map shows where
Insurers won’t renew some homes, citing risk of earthquake-induced fires. This map shows where

The magnitude 7.9 earthquake that struck San Francisco on April 18, 1906, toppled buildings, brought down power lines and fractured water mains. The front page of the Chronicle the next day read “San Francisco in ruins.” But 80% of the property damage, according to a…
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?
California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited?

The discounts are for people who take actions to protect their homes and properties from wildfires. Read More.
More homeowners forced into California Fair Plan coverage
More homeowners forced into California Fair Plan coverage

‘Last resort’ fire insurance coverage is now going mainstream. CBS 8 is Working For You to get answers about the FAIR Plan, California’s fire insurance of last resort. Most people never hear about the California FAIR Plan until their homeowner’s insurance gets canceled. “It’s not…
City Wildfire and Disaster Insurance Online Town Hall
City Wildfire and Disaster Insurance Online Town Hall

California’s insurance commissioner, local elected leaders provide information on property insurance State and local public agency representatives held an online Wildfire and Disaster Insurance town hall workshop for residents on April 4 to address homeowners insurance and how they can navigate resources to get coverage…
Here are the ZIP codes where State Farm plans to drop home coverage for California customers
Here are the ZIP codes where State Farm plans to drop home coverage for California customers

Of the 72,000 home and apartment insurance policies State Farm has chosen not to renew in California, more than 2,300 of those policies insure properties in the North Bay. Most regions listed by the state Department of Insurance under a February filing from the Illinois-based…