FAIR Plan Must Pay Fire Survivors’ Claims Before Lara Hikes Rates

Name: FAIR Plan Must Pay Fire Survivors’ Claims Before Lara Hikes Rates
Uploaded: 2025-10-06T15:29:30-07:00
Channel: Carmen Balber
Description: The FAIR Plan, the insurance pool of last resort for homeowners forced out of the traditional market by insurance company nonrenewals, sought a 35% rate increase last week. Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Carmen Balber issued the following statement. "A 35% rate hike would be devastating to all the homeowners already paying too much for too little

Published on

October 6, 2025

By Carmen Balber

Man and his wife owners, checking burned and ruined of their house and yard after fire, consequences of fire disaster accident. Ruins after fire disaster.

The FAIR Plan, the insurance pool of last resort for homeowners forced out of the traditional market by insurance company nonrenewals, sought a 35% rate increase last week. Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Carmen Balber issued the following statement.

“A 35% rate hike would be devastating to all the homeowners already paying too much for too little at the FAIR Plan. But it’s a punch in the face for survivors of the L.A. fires whose claims the Plan isn’t paying fairly today. The Department of Insurance has an 8-year-old enforcement investigation pending against the FAIR Plan for illegally denying homeowners’ claims, including smoke damage payouts so inadequate that consumers can’t return to their homes. Commissioner Lara must make the FAIR Plan meet its obligations to policyholders before approving any increase.”

Carmen Balber

Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber has been with the organization for nearly two decades. She spent four years directing the group’s Washington, D.C. office where she advocated for key health insurance market reforms that were ultimately enacted into law as part of the Affordable Care Act.

FAIR Plan Must Pay Fire Survivors’ Claims Before Lara Hikes Rates

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