About 26 million residents in the states of California and Arizona are under red flag warnings because of the recent wildfires in the area, according to CNN’s most recent coverage of these events. These fires have scorched acres of natural, residential, and commercial land and continue to threaten thousands of California homes as they spread.
While these blazes pose severe threats to human life and properties, some insurance companies may be backing off their services for residents in the state. Know all about these fires and why insurance claims for them are being denied.
State of the Wildfires
As of late November, there have been 6,402 wildfires in California for 2019. Here are the most significant ones in the year.
- The Kincade Fire – This was the state’s largest wildfire in 2019, with over 77,758 acres of land razed in Sonoma County, and destroyed or damaged more than 120 structures. It started in late October and was declared 100% contained in early November.
- The Maria Fire – This started in late October and burned 9,999 acres of land. The Ventura County Fire Department contained it on November 7th.
- The Tick Fire – The Tick Fire charred 4,615 acres of land in the Santa Clarita area and raged from October 24th to 31st. One of the properties it completely destroyed was a family farm. The owners were only able to save 20 animals from their burnt-down property.
- The Cave Fire – This brush fire in Santa Barbara County has threatened several residential communities, prompting evacuations. It has been mostly contained by rain and the efforts of the fire crews. At the time of this posting, it is still ongoing, and has already damaged 4367 acres.
- The Getty Fire – This started in late October and took eight houses in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department fully contained the blaze on November 5th, after it burned 745 acres of land.
Denied Claims
Despite eight wildfires ravaging the state this year, causing an estimated $80 billion worth of damage, a lot of Californians are still having their insurance claims denied. A report by CBS News found that insurance companies refuse to protect over 350,000 property owners in the state.
And the 33,000 people who were successfully insured before were barred from having their contracts renewed. Insurers don’t want to provide coverage because they deemed the properties as too much of a fire risk.
These conditions are unacceptable, especially if you’ve lost thousands of dollars in property, or worse, your loved ones in a wildfire. This is why it’s crucial to hire a law firm that handles wrongful death and bad faith insurance claims. Companies that may have unwittingly started some of the fires with their equipment ,and insurers who deny claims or protection from wildfires must be held accountable.
Conclusion: The Way Forward
Wildfires are often unavoidable natural occurrences. As such, people who live in wildfire-prone areas must have their properties insured. Those who were denied coverage are now getting the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan to protect their valuable homes. FAIR was explicitly created for individuals who are denied insurance because they live in high-risk areas. While this plan is only seen as a last resort, it gives owners peace of mind knowing that they’ll receive compensation for the items and properties they may lose in the event of another fire.
Get the Compensation You Deserve
If you’re one of the residents or business owners whose wildfire insurance claims were denied, speak with an experienced lawyer immediately. Haffner Law provides representation for those who were injured, lost their loved one, or had their property destroyed because of other people’s negligence. We offer our legal services in Los Angeles and neighboring cities.
Contact us at 1-844-HAFFNER or 213-514-5681 today for a free, no-obligation case review from an experienced lawyer.
(This is an attorney advertisement by Joshua Haffner)