Bill Introduced to ‘Transform’ The California FAIR Plan
Article 0 Comments A bill to initiate reforms to the California FAIR Plan that include changes to customer service and claims, and added transparency was introduced on Monday. Assembly Bill 1680, the Make It FAIR Act, authored by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon and sponsored by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, is designed to strengthen claims handling, expand coverage options, and improve transparency for wildfire survivors. Related: California Bill Would Require Insurer Claims Handling Plans, and Double Penalties The act enacts reforms identified in the California Department of Insurance’s recent Report of Examination, which found the FAIR Plan had failed to comply with 17 recommendations related to financial condition, corporate governance, and consumer protections. The examination reportedly revealed systemic problems that left wildfire survivors struggling with delays, denials, and inconsistent claims decisions, particularly after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, according to the CDI. Insurance claims paid from Los Angeles wildfires is $22.4 billion, yet the department has taken formal legal action against the FAIR Plan for denying hundreds of smoke damage claims, and despite Lara’s efforts to improve the FAIR Plan’s performance and accountability, wildfire survivors have continued to report ongoing problems accessing benefits, with delays, denials, and miscommunication at the top...