SACRAMENTO, CA — The Wildfire Victims First coalition today launched a new statewide ad calling out California's compounding wildfire, insurance, and affordability crises — and pressing lawmakers for a permanent fix before the legislative session ends in August. The 30-second spot ties rising insurance costs directly to the state's broader affordability issue, arguing that a broken recovery system is driving up costs for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and ratepayers alike.
“You don't have to lose your home to be hurt by wildfire. Rising insurance costs are burning families' budgets and driving up rent and housing across California. Meanwhile, the state FAIR Plan insurance rates are increasing by as much as 200% in some communities. All while billboard lawyers take huge cuts of victims' settlements. We need a permanent fix to bring California back from the brink of this wildfire crisis.”
— From the adThe new ad lands as Californians face mounting pressure on every front. The FAIR Plan, the state's insurer of last resort, recently approved rate increases averaging roughly 29%, with rate increases up to 200% for the highest-risk homes. A new Stanford University research paper found the average California homeowner now pays 84% more for home insurance than six years ago, with the steepest hikes concentrated in high-fire-risk communities. The California Earthquake Authority's (CEA) Natural Catastrophe Resiliency Study warned that the state's wildfire recovery system is too slow, too expensive, and too often puts victims last.
“Our house burned to the ground, but losing it wasn't the hardest part – it was everything that came after. The insurance and permitting processes were absolutely absurd. No family rebuilding their life should have to fight this hard. That's why I'm standing with Wildfire Victims First to make sure the next victims aren't put through what we were.”
— Dan Dwyer, Napa wildfire survivorThe campaign urges Californians to tell their state representatives to act this session by reining in spiraling costs, restoring availability, and delivering insurance that actually covers the risk families face.
The Wildfire Victims First coalition, which launched in April following the release of the CEA study, has grown to more than 250 social justice, community, labor, small business, chamber of commerce, and local government organizations from every region of California. The coalition is calling on the Legislature to enact a comprehensive Wildfire Victims First framework that:
- Protects people from wildfires
- Makes insurance available and affordable
- Pays victims first, fast, and fairly
The initial buy will run across the state and will expand in the weeks ahead as the Legislature moves toward critical deadlines this session.
To learn more about the Wildfire Victims First coalition, visit WildfireVictimsFirst.com.
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