Commissioner Urges Residents to Prep for Disasters

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner Tuesday visited a Malibu residence to encourage Southern California homeowners to protect their assets in the event of a disaster.

Poizner advised all local homeowners to proactively prepare for fires and other potential disasters by conducting a home inventory and updating their insurance policies.

Out of control wildfires swept through Southern California last October, ravaging nearly 2,000 homes and causing $2 billion in damages, including $130 million in damages and nearly 100 destroyed homes in Los Angeles alone.

This year's wildfire season is already under way, months ahead of schedule. Wildfires have charred nearly one million acres and destroyed 158 homes throughout the state this year, and the worst may still be ahead. Poizner urges all homeowners to prepare themselves, and conduct a home inventory to maintain detailed records of their belongings.

Poizner also announced today that the Department of Insurance has recovered more than $9 million for 2007 wildfire survivors who notified CDI of a problem obtaining claims payments from their insurance companies. The Department of Insurance has received 359 complaints from consumers relating to the 2007 wildfires. Of those complaints, 83 involved underinsurance. The Department of Insurance has recovered $3.4 million for underinsurance complaints. Insurers have paid out $1.8 billion in claims for the 2007 wildfires, which caused more than $2 billion in damages.

"Insurance companies have done a great job overall in paying claims to wildfire survivors on time, and in full," said Poizner. "And when a small portion of claims were not paid out fully or on time, the Department of Insurance continues to make sure that homeowners receive every penny they deserve. If any fire survivors have questions or would like to file a complaint, I urge them to contact the Department of Insurance."