“Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” star Josh Flagg discusses evacuating Los Angeles amid flames on “The Claman Countdown.”
California’s state insurance regulator on Friday announced a one-year moratorium on canceling homeowners insurance policies in areas of Southern California that were affected by this week’s crisis. devastating forest fires.
The California Department of Insurance (CDI) announced that the mandatory one-year moratorium will prevent insurers from canceling or not renewing homeowners’ insurance policies in specific areas affected by the Palisades wildfires and of Eaton in the United States. Los Angeles area.
The moratorium applies to all homeowners, condominium unit owners, mobile home owners, or residential renters insurance policies in specified zip codes. It covers cancellations and non-renewal due to the risk of forest fire.
As of Friday, fires had destroyed more than 10,000 homes, buildings and other structures, according to local authorities. At least 10 people were killed by the fires. The Kenneth, Hurst and Lidia fires, along with the Palisades and Eaton fires, have collectively burned more than 27,000 acres in the region.
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Chimneys lie among the rubble after the Palisades Fire passed through Pacific Palisades, California, on Wednesday. (Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“My heart goes out to my fellow Angelenos. Our top priority is protecting Californians during this crisis and helping us recover,” California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a statement. “I am using my moratorium powers to prevent insurance companies from cancellation or non-renewal policies in areas affected by wildfires, so people don’t face the added stress of finding new insurance during this horrific event.
“I am working on all fronts to ensure wildfire victims receive the benefits they are entitled to as quickly as possible,” Lara added.
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Plumes of smoke are visible Tuesday as a wildfire burns in Pacific Palisades, California. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The CDI also published an opinion calling for insurance companies to end non-renewals or pending cancellations for all properties located near wildfires if they are not already protected by the moratorium. The notice applies to non-renewals or cancellations issued up to 90 days before January 7, the start of the wildfires, but that take effect after the start of the wildfires.
The pause on non-renewal and cancellation of policies would last six months while communities begin the recovery process. Lara also called on insurers to offer policyholders in areas immediately affected by the forest fires, beyond the 60-day grace period provided for by current law, the payment of their home insurance premiums, taking into account the challenges faced by many people in these regions.
FOX Business has contacted CDI regarding the moratorium and advisory.
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Khaled Fouad, left, and Mimi Laine inspect a family member’s property in Altadena, Calif., which was destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Thursday. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images)
ZIP codes covered by the Palisades fire moratorium include 90049, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91301, 91302, 91320, 91356, 91361, 91364 and 91436.
Eaton Fire zip codes subject to the moratorium include 91001, 91006, 91007, 91011, 91016, 91020, 91024, 91042, 91101, 91103, 91104, 91106, 91107, 91108, 91206, 91208, 91214, 91706, 91731, 91732, 91775, 91780 and 93563.
Residents of the neighborhood can go to Ministry of Insurance website to see if their zip code is included in the moratorium.
The CDI said the agency could submit an additional bulletin if additional ZIP codes are determined to be within or near a fire perimeter subject to the state of emergency declared by the governor for Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
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Lara also announced free two-day insurance support workshops, open to anyone affected by the wildfires, to be held January 18-19 in Santa Monica and January 25-26 in Pasadena to help survivors understand their insurance policies and the claims process. as well as providing information on the reconstruction and recovery process.
