In response to California's devastating 2009 wildfires Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner hosted a series of town hall-style Insurance Recovery Forums for survivors throughout the state.

Commissioner Poizner was joined by local, state and federal officials, as well as representatives from the insurance industry who answered specific insurance questions for fire victims. "The last thing fire survivors should have to worry about after losing their homes and belongings is a daunting recovery process," said Commissioner Poizner.  "That's why I have deployed my Department of Insurance consumer information experts to the fire zones - to aid fire survivors during this difficult time."

Key points from the forums were captured and are provided through video in a Question/Answer format. All videos accessed from this page have open captions.

Opening Comments:

• Insurance Commissioner's Opening Comments Duration: 6 min 43 sec
• Deputy Insurance Commissioner Tony Cignarale's Overview of Homeowners' Insurance Coverage Duration: 9 min 40 sec

Getting started:

• What do I do after a loss? Duration: 5 min 43 sec
• Notice of Claims Procedure Duration: 2 min 23 sec
• How detailed does a scope of loss need to be? Duration: 1 min 31 sec
• Requesting a copy of an insurance policy Duration: 1 min 00 sec

Rebuilding your home:

• What do I do if I cannot rebuild on my original location? Duration: 2 min 12 sec
• Does my insurance policy cover changes in the building codes? Duration: 1 min 06 sec
• What do I do if my insurance does not completely cover the costs to rebuild my house? Duration: 10 min 24 sec
• What do I do if a bid is too low? Duration: 2 min 34 sec
• Quality of work done by an insurance company recommended contractor Duration: 1 min 09 sec
• Does my code upgrade coverage pay for code upgrades only up to the date of the fire? Duration: 1 min 49 sec
• Is it necessary that I rebuild my house in order to get extended coverage? Duration: 1 min 21 sec

Insurance Claims:

• What does reasonably adjust a contractor's estimate mean? Duration: 1 min 45 sec
• After a total loss can my insurance be canceled? Duration: 1 min 28 sec
• How long does my insurance company have to reimburse me for additional living expense claims? Duration: 1 min 27 sec
• Are there laws that determine how much an insurance company has to pay immediately after a loss? Duration: 2 min 03 sec
• I am concerned that my insurance company is not handling my claim quickly or fairly Duration: 1 min 27 sec
  

Additional Resources:

• Besides the California Department of Insurance are there other organizations you recommend for assistance on insurance matters? Duration: 1 min 09 sec

In addition to these videos, CDI provides additional wildfire insurance information and other related frequently asked questions.