Commissioner Lara thanks Governor Newsom for signing Department-supported wildfire bills to protect California consumers
News: 2019 Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara praised Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of bills that will help improve California’s wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts and address rising concerns about access to homeowners insurance. In recent months, the Department of Insurance has met with more than 1,000 residents in areas concerned about the impact of wildfires on the availability and affordability of insurance.
The Department of Insurance supported AB 38 (Wood) and SB 190 (Dodd) in particular, which address the increased need for home-hardening and defensible space to protect communities from losses.
“Reducing the risk of wildfires, especially home-hardening and creating defensible spaces around our homes, is critical to our efforts to keep insurance available and affordable for Californians living with this reality,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “By encouraging investment to mitigate risks from catastrophic wildfires, AB 38 and SB 190 will help communities threatened by insurance non-renewals and rising costs.”
AB 38 authored by Assemblymember Jim Wood of Santa Rosa significantly encourages home hardening efforts through a California Wildfire Mitigation Financial Assistance Program for communities in forest and brush areas across the state.
SB 190 authored by Senator Bill Dodd of Napa creates statewide defensible space requirements to reduce wildfire risks to communities.
The Department of Insurance supports homeowner- and community-initiated actions to maintain defensible space and upgrade homes that slow the spread of wildfires and contribute to a healthy insurance market.
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Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
