Smoke Claims and Remediation Task Force Report
After the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County in January 2025, Commissioner Lara directed the California Department of Insurance (CDI) to convene a Smoke Damage Claims and Remediation Task Force comprised of members representing consumers, public health, environmental health, fire safety, industrial hygienists, remediation and restoration specialists, and the insurance industry to investigate the complex issues related to wildfire smoke damage claims and to make recommendations, where possible, for the development of standards for the inspection, testing, remediation, and restoration of smoke-damaged residential properties, as well as insurance coverage protocols for those claims.
The Task Force heard presentations by a diverse array of interested stakeholders, including survivor groups and consumer advocates, academics, local and state public health experts, industrial hygienists, remediation and restoration specialists, insurance industry representatives, and attorneys on behalf of policyholders as well as insurers and heard different perspectives and opinions related to smoke damage issues.
The Task Force has issued its Smoke Damage Claims and Remediation Task Force Report providing an overview of smoke-damage claims issues, summarizing the stakeholder presentations and materials reviewed, discussing general areas of agreement and disagreement by Task Force members, and discussing potential concepts that could be further developed and implemented to address those issues. As noted by the Task Force, the issues related to residential smoke damage claims resulting from increasingly prevalent wildland-urban interface fires which spread into densely populated urban areas are challenging due to many factors, and potential solutions to address those issues will require involvement by multiple governmental agencies, input by stakeholders, and legislative and regulatory action.
Based upon the Report findings, consumer complaints, and meetings with January 2025 wildfire survivor groups, AB 1795, sponsored by the CDI, which was introduced on February 10, 2026 by Assembly Member Gipson, has now been amended (with the amended bill expected to be in print Monday March 16, 2026). AB 1795 is intended to fill in the gaps that currently exist in how smoke damage homes are restored by establishing uniform statewide standards for the inspection, testing, and remediation of residential properties damaged by smoke exposure from wildfires and will require insurers to follow consistent remediation protocols. Further, AB 1795 will ensure that residential properties are restored to safe and habitable conditions, will create training and certification requirements for professionals involved in smoke-damage assessment and cleanup, and will provide interim guidance for claims arising from specific fires when state or local agencies issue post-fire guidance or advisories. As AB 1795 goes through the legislative process, it will be further refined and informed by stakeholder meetings and public comment.
