Insurance Commissioner Orders Protections for 15,000 Californians Following Fires

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Thursday ordered insurers to preserve residential insurance coverage for more than 15,000 policyholders affected by fires in Del Norte County and Siskiyou County after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued emergency declarations last month.

The commissioner’s order shields those living within the perimeters or adjoining ZIP Codes of the Smith River Complex fire and the Happy Camp Complex fire from insurance non-renewal or cancellation for one year from the date of the governor’s August 29 emergency declaration regardless of whether they suffered a loss.

Today’s order protects over 15,000 policyholders for one year. Consumers can go to the California Department of Insurance website to see if their ZIP Code is included in the moratorium.