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Environment

Homeowners insurance availability after LA wildfires

Wildfires in Los Angeles County have led major insurers to cancel or non-renew homeowner policies, leaving many residents struggling to rebuild and forcing them onto the state's last-resort FAIR Plan, which has seen a 146% increase in policies since 2022. Many LA County fire survivors have sued insurance companies over coverage disputes. The 2026 California Insurance Commissioner election has centered reform of the FAIR Plan and wildfire risk as top issues.

How should California address the homeowners insurance crisis affecting Los Angeles County wildfire survivors?

How OpenCampaign quiz-takers stand on this issue

38% call it a high-priority issue (rating it 7+ out of 10).

  1. Liberal43%
  2. Lean liberal25%
  3. Moderate15%
  4. Lean conservative6%
  5. Conservative11%

High-priority share over time

39%201635%201754%201937%202042%202144%202239%202333%202442%202545%2026

The high-priority share has ranged 33–54% since 2016. Election-year cohorts skew casual and under-rate every issue, so the dips around 2020 and 2024 partly reflect who took the quiz, not a shift in opinion.

Where do you stand?

How should California address the homeowners insurance crisis affecting Los Angeles County wildfire survivors?

How important is this to you?

Sources

CalMatters reporter Levi Sumagaysay — https://ballotpedia.org/California_Insurance_Commissioner_election,_2026_(June_2_top-two_primary)
Wildfires 'were a factor in insurance companies canceling homeowner policies or refusing to write new ones ... Many survivors of last year's Los Angeles County fires are struggling to rebuild; they have sued insurance companies ... Many homeowners are continuing to turn to the last-resort FAIR Plan, which has seen a 146% increase in the number of policies since 2022.'
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Create a publicly run state insurer to guarantee affordable coverage for all CA homeowners, especially in fire zones.
  2. Heavily regulate insurers to prevent policy cancellations and require them to cover wildfire-risk properties.
  3. Reform and strengthen the FAIR Plan while offering incentives for private insurers to return to the market.
  4. Allow insurers to charge actuarially accurate risk-based premiums to stabilize the private market long-term.
  5. Deregulate insurance pricing fully so the private market sets rates, reducing the need for state intervention.

LA County wildfires and insurance availability

Wildfires have led insurers to cancel homeowner policies or refuse new ones. Many survivors of recent Los Angeles County fires are struggling to rebuild and have sued insurers, while more homeowners turn to the last-resort FAIR Plan, which has seen a 146% increase in policies since 2022. Climate resilience and FAIR Plan reform are central to the 2026 insurance commissioner race.

How should California address homeowners insurance availability and costs after Los Angeles County wildfires?

How OpenCampaign quiz-takers stand on this issue

38% call it a high-priority issue (rating it 7+ out of 10).

  1. Liberal43%
  2. Lean liberal25%
  3. Moderate15%
  4. Lean conservative6%
  5. Conservative11%

High-priority share over time

39%201635%201754%201937%202042%202144%202239%202333%202442%202545%2026

The high-priority share has ranged 33–54% since 2016. Election-year cohorts skew casual and under-rate every issue, so the dips around 2020 and 2024 partly reflect who took the quiz, not a shift in opinion.

Where do you stand?

How should California address homeowners insurance availability and costs after Los Angeles County wildfires?

How important is this to you?

Sources

CalMatters' Levi Sumagaysay via Ballotpedia — https://ballotpedia.org/California_Insurance_Commissioner_election,_2026_(June_2_top-two_primary)
Wildfires across the state affected insurance policies in recent years. CalMatters' Levi Sumagaysay wrote that wildfires "were a factor in insurance companies canceling homeowner policies or refusing to write new ones ... Many survivors of last year’s Los Angeles County fires are struggling to rebuild; they have sued insurance companies ... Many homeowners are continuing to turn to the last-resort FAIR Plan, which has seen a 146% increase in the number of policies since 2022."
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Mandate insurer coverage, expand public insurance, and invest massively in climate resilience
  2. Stabilize and reform the FAIR Plan while requiring more private insurer participation in high-risk areas
  3. Balanced reforms to FAIR Plan, mitigation incentives, and limited market adjustments
  4. Reduce regulatory burdens on insurers so more private coverage returns to the market
  5. Let markets set rates freely; minimize state FAIR Plan and stop forcing coverage in fire zones