Los Angeles Wildfire Insurance Lawyer
Understanding Fire Insurance Coverage In The Wake Of The Los Angeles Wildfires
Wildfires are tragic. They tear through neighborhoods leaving damage and destruction in their wake. While the devastation caused by wildfires can happen in a matter of minutes or hours, the rebuilding process can take years. This is what the survivors of the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Hurst Fire, Lidia Fire, Sunset Fire, and Woodley Fire are facing as they return to their neighborhoods, and if they are lucky, their homes. For those who have suffered a partial or total loss to their homes, condominiums, or rental properties we extend our deepest sympathies. We know first-hand from our clients just how heartbreaking the loss of a home can be.
The process to repair, rebuild, and restore will take time. Whether you have a fire insurance policy through a private insurance carrier, a California FAIR Plan policy, or both, understanding your coverages and your rights is critical. Fire insurance policies generally provide coverage for the dwelling (the home or structure), contents (personal property), and additional living expenses (the cost to rent a temporary home while your home is being repaired). Those coverages usually have separate limits of insurance, which is the maximum amount that an insurance carrier will pay for a particular loss. These coverages may also have specific provisions that further limit or extend coverage.
Understanding the Limitations and Provisions of Fire Insurance Coverage
As we have already seen, some fire insurance policies issued to survivors have limited coverage making it difficult or impossible to rebuild. Understanding the extent of your fire insurance coverage is critically important. This includes, among other things, understanding your policy limits; whether the policy provides for the payment of actual cash value or replacement cost; and whether there are any provisions that can increase or limit your coverages. Such provisions include increased coverage for Building Code upgrades or increased limits for damages resulting from certain types of Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) disasters including wildfires.
Pillsbury & Coleman LLP has worked closely with the survivors of wildfires for over four decades in both Northern and Southern California. We have represented policyholders in a variety of insurance coverage matters against their insurance companies, including State Farm, Allstate, Chubb, AIG, Farmers, USAA, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Mercury Insurance, and others. We have successfully litigated against insurance companies in Southern California Courts, including in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego.
Contact Our Fire Insurance Coverage Lawyers in Los Angeles
Pillsbury & Coleman LLP has helped insureds understand their policy coverages following wildfire tragedies. We have helped insureds understand their rights under California law, including their rights under the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations of 10 C.C.R. §2695, et seq., the Unfair Insurance Practices Act of Insurance Code §790.03, et seq., and if necessary, their rights under bad faith tort law in California. We will assist Southern California residents recover their insurance benefits as they bounce back from this wildfire tragedy, as we know they will.