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Eaton Fire survivors gathered in Pasadena Thursday morning to condemn the false suspects on the state farm by policyholders who suffered the loss of the flames.
Speaking in front of a catastrophe claim tent on the boulevard on the state farm’s main road, the group urged California Insurance Secretary Ricardo Lara to begin a formal investigation into the insurance giant, claiming that a series of delays and denied claims left the fire victims in disastrous financial position and failed to return to their contaminated homes.
The demonstration comes a week after a state farm offered an administrative hearing in Oakland that its 17% emergency fee hike, down from the first 22% demand in February, to state officials.
State Farm said hiking is necessary to ensure that it is not “further constrained” its ability to provide home insurance in California, as it “helps stabilize the financial position of state farm generals.”
Last month, Lala approved the fee request on a “tentative” basis, waiting for the administrative judge to sign off.
Fire victims on Thursday described the rate hiking request as State Farm’s latest series of betrayals.
“The disaster began with the Eton Fire, but for us, the actual trauma began when we submitted a smoke damage claim to a state farm,” said Wendy Davis. Davis’ five-bedroom home in Altadena is still covered in toxic soot and ashes 100 days after its first eruption.
Davis said for the past three months, state farms have “delayed, walked, and denied the help we are eligible.”
State Farm representatives did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Davis said the company told her that her policy only covers ashes that have been blown into her home, not asbestos contained within it.
“Are we supposed to rub off asbestos ourselves, wearing a Hazmato suit and a ventilator?” said Davis, a 35-year policyholder. “If it wasn’t that cruel, it would be hilarious.”
California Proposal 103 requires insurers seeking to raise rates to prove that those hikes are necessary before they are approved.
State Farm does not meet legal standards for rate increases, according to Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Advocacy Nonprofit Consumer WatchDog.
In a press release that should approve the farm’s request, Barber said it would “set a dangerous precedent and divert consumer protection and costs to struggling families.”
In an interview, Barber said she hasn’t done enough to “stopping up” the insurance company that Lara threatened to withdraw from the state due to rising costs.
The state farm reportedly received more than 12,500 fires and motor vehicle claims related to the January 7 fire, paying customers more than $3 billion. The company forecasts a total wildfire-related payment of $7.9 billion, but its net loss is estimated at $600 million after reinsurance payments.
But Balber argued that the company is profiting too much to leave the state from California’s high-risk policyholders.
Lala’s representative did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Eton Fire victims said Thursday that they were in range, making the most of their credit cards and jumping from one rental to another.
Before Kelsey Szamet and her family moved to their current rentals in Pasadena, they had a stint with three hotels and two friends. She said she was “instability” for her two young girls, constantly moving.
“There are a lot of big emotions, big emotional responses that aren’t typical for them,” Szamet said, adding that she herself struggles with “fatigue at the cellular level.”
Szamet said he sees delays and denials on state farms as part of a deliberate effort to get people on board until they stop seeking relief altogether.
But Shawna Dawson Beers, founder of the 10,000 Beautiful Altadena Facebook group, said Altadena residents are committed to holding state farms accountable and asking fire victims to help them get relief they owed.
“We will continue to speak up for our neighbors, ourselves, our community,” Bears said. “And we won’t go quietly.”
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