California

Los Angeles County sued State Farm, California's largest home insurer, for alleged delays, denials and underpayments of property damage claims filed by victims of the massive January 2025 wildfires.

California legislators introduced a bill Saturday that would update the state's wildfire response without shifting liability away from publicly traded utilities.

A plan backed by Democrats in the state senate wouldn't limit insurers from suing utility companies to recoup payouts to policyholders, according to a proposal seen by Bloomberg News on Tuesday.

The new rules, which apply to about 2 million homes, were mandated by a 2020 state law requiring residents in high-risk wildfire areas to establish an ember-resistant perimeter by removing vegetation and other combustible material within five feet of a dwelling.

Edison is responsible for the first $1 billion of wildfire-related claims, which it pays using its customer-funded self-insurance program.

Wealthy areas such as Beverly Hills, Malibu and Bel Air make up an increasingly large portion of the liability exposure — a dynamic that experts fear could bankrupt the program and undermine the private market.

Competing philosophies are facing off in California's race for insurance commissioner.

Digital Insurance interviewed seven of the insurance commissioner candidates about how they would address the state's insurance crisis, AI risks and opportunities, rate increases and climate change issues.

The people vying to be the state's next insurance commissioner share how they would work with property data, climate risk mitigation programs and legislative proposals to mitigate the impact of climate change on policyholders.

As California's next insurance commissioner, how would each candidate treat insurers' requests to raise rates, how would they balance keeping insurers in the state and consumer affordability, and how would they manage compensation for advocates in rate increase proceedings?

Proposed FEMA reforms could further increase financial strain for state and local governments after natural disasters.

The many people vying to be California's next insurance commissioner discuss concerns about insurers' scaling up their use of AI, how policyholders could benefit, AI-fueled insurance fraud, aerial imagery applications and coverage of autonomous vehicles.

On June 2, California voters will choose from 11 candidates for an open seat. Seven of the candidates responded to Digital Insurance questions about how they would manage the regulatory agency, stop property insurers from leaving the state, and finance FAIR Plan insurance of last resort.

The insurance industry's research organization added 10 more states to the first four in its Wildfire Prepared Home designation program. About 35% of U.S. homes in high wildfire risk areas are not yet eligible.

Alongside a bill that gives homeowners a year of forbearance after state-declared emergencies, lawmakers will consider extending wildfire-related moratoriums.

Researchers examined more than 580,000 municipal bond issues and say the data shows communities with higher wildfire risk pay higher interest rates.

The state's administrative law office will decide whether to accept Commissioner Ricardo Lara's changes to a law passed as a referendum in 1988, which allows consumer advocates to be compensated for their work.

Regulators from larger states have more resources, as shown by the ratio of staff per insurer.

Society of Actuaries appoints new CEO and Delos expands coverage, plus more insurtech news.

Insurance companies have abandoned some California neighborhoods at lower risk of burning.