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CA Department of Insurance
CA Department of Insurance
CA Department of Insurance

Commissioner asks insurers to waive inventory requirement for wildfire survivors

News: 2018 Press Release

For Release: December 13, 2018
Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566
Email Inquiries: cdipress@insurance.ca.gov

Commissioner asks insurers to waive inventory requirement for wildfire survivors

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Helping survivors of the devastating Camp and Woolsey wildfires begin the recovery and rebuilding process as soon as possible led Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones to request residential insurers to pay at least 75 percent and up to 100 percent of personal property or contents coverage in the event of a total loss without requiring policyholders to provide detailed personal property inventories. 

“Requiring thousands of wildfire survivors, who’ve suffered through such heartbreaking loss to create detailed inventories of their belongings and other property is adding insult to injury,” said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. “I am asking insurers to follow the lead taken by some companies that have already made the call to waive the inventory requirement and begun paying policyholders.”

Commissioner Jones issued a number of orders following the fires, which destroyed more than 14,000 homes across the state and killed at least 90 people, designed to help expedite claims payments and protect consumers as out-of-state claims adjusters arrive to help process the huge volume of claims to settle. 

Jones also mobilized the department’s resources to make sure consumers have access to the assistance and support the department provides to help them navigate the insurance claims process, including deploying the department’s Consumer Services team to the Disaster Recovery Centers servicing both the Camp and Woolsey fires to answer consumer questions and help them with their insurance claim needs. 

Policyholders should contact their insurance company and insurance agent to begin the claims process. They may also contact the Department of Insurance Consumer hotline at 800-927-4357 to seek assistance or visit the Department’s website for tips and advice. 

 

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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.

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