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
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara introduced a new regulation Monday aimed at expanding coverage to areas at high risk of wildfires after insurers have limited options for those areas in recent years.
In recent years, wildfires have been costly, which has pushed several insurance companies to pull coverage out of the state, especially in areas at high risk for wildfires. The regulation introduced by Lara would require insurers to increase their coverage to these high-risk areas by making policies that account for 85% of their state market share. The new requirement would allow insurers to ease into the 85% by increasing their percentage by 5% every two years.
“Californians deserve a reliable insurance market that doesn’t retreat from communities most vulnerable to wildfires and climate change,” Lara said in a statement. “This is a historic moment for California.”
“My Sustainable Insurance Strategy is focused on addressing the challenges we face today and building a resilient insurance market for the future. With input from thousands of residents throughout California, this reform balances protecting consumers with the need to strengthen our market against climate risks,” he added.
The state Office of Administrative Law will review the new regulation before it takes effect.
The newly introduced requirement comes after Lara announced an initiative to expand insurance coverage for homes at an increased risk of wildfires. The regulation announced earlier this month allows insurance companies to use climate change and catastrophe models to help set rates as wildfires continue to be a persistent problem in the Golden State.
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The new regulation was met with skepticism Monday by the Consumer Watchdog, which told the Los Angeles Times that it would lead to higher increases in rates and would not do much to guarantee expansion to coverage for homes at high risk for wildfires.
“Tellingly, the commissioner did not do a cost impact analysis of his plan on consumers. That’s because this plan is of the insurance industry, by the insurance industry, and for the industry,” Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court told the outlet.