This week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath that mobilizes the County’s advocacy on behalf of homeowners who are struggling to get or keep their insurance coverage due to wildfire threat.
The County will ask California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to investigate the compliance measures that insurance companies require from homeowners to keep their coverage.
“It’s no secret that insurance providers have become more conservative due to increased wildfire threats statewide,” noted Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “As a result, homeowners are increasingly being put in a very tough position: pay higher premiums and comply with varied, costly, and inconsistent mitigation requirements or lose your insurance. I’ve heard from many of my constituents district wide who are facing steep cost increases or being dropped altogether by their insurance carriers and left to fend for themselves. That’s simply unacceptable.”
“As our climate warms, our hillside and mountain communities face increasing fire danger and limited options for fire insurance,” said Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath. “This dichotomy results in mounting financial challenges putting Angelenos even more at risk. Los Angeles County is standing up for impacted communities to make sure they are able to access life-saving insurance coverage.”
The motion also mobilizes Los Angeles County’s legislative advocacy team, directing them to seek opportunities for the County to support proposed laws that would stabilize California’s fire insurance market and enhance protections for homeowners.
A recent constituent call to Supervisor Barger’s office reported a 600 percent increase in the annual premium for insurance for homeowners in the City of Pasadena.