Survivors Respond to State Farm Ad with Testimony of Insurance Struggles
Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog and Eaton Fire Survivors Network released a new Consumer Alert video showing the ongoing struggles of L.A. fire survivors to get their insurance benefits in response to State Farm’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” Super Bowl ad.
In State Farm’s ad sales reps at a fake insurance company joke that with the wrong insurer, you’ll be “livin’ on a prayer,” while Jon Bon Jovi’s song blares. Then Bon Jovi drives up with Jake from State Farm to save the day.
In the Consumer Alert video Joy Chen, executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, says: “Just one problem. Four out of five L.A. fire survivors insured with State Farm say they’ve struggled to get the benefits they already paid for, according to Department of Angels research.”
“I filed the claim with State Farm probably the day immediately after the fire and they either purposefully ignore it or have rolled out uh staffing policies and procedures to purposefully delay and put up roadblocks in the face of policy holders trying to recover and get the money that they need to rebuild,” says Neil, an Eaton Fire survivor.
“And it’s not just State Farm. Seventy percent of all L.A. fire survivors report delays, denials, and underpayments stalling their recovery. Insurance is supposed to protect us. Not push us into ruin,” the consumer alert continues.
“The fire was a shock, but dealing with the insurance company is 100 times more devastating and stressful and crushing because you feel so powerless,” said Karenna, an Eaton Fire survivor.
“That’s why the Eaton Fire Survivors Network and Consumer Watchdog are sponsoring four bills to ensure families can both buy insurance and get the benefits we’ve paid for. …No one who pays insurance premiums should be livin’ on a prayer. We should all get the protection we paid for,” ends the video.
The four bills Consumer Watchdog and Eaton Fire Survivors Network are co-sponsoring address two simultaneous crises: Californians can’t reliably buy or keep home insurance, and struggle to get the benefits they paid for when they have it.
More information and a petition can be found at www.fixinsurance.org
SB 1076 (opens in new tab), authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, requires insurers to offer and renew coverage for homes that meet wildfire safety standards adopted by the Insurance Commissioner.
SB 1301 (opens in new tab), authored by Senator Ben Allen, protects policyholders from unexplained and abrupt nonrenewals with greater disclosure and time to respond before losing coverage.
SB 877 (opens in new tab), authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, helps consumers challenge claim underpayments by requiring insurers to disclose all original loss estimates and all revisions so homeowners can see how their payout was calculated, what was changed, and why.
SB 878 (opens in new tab), authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, strengthens existing laws on claim delays by imposing a 20% interest penalty when insurers don’t make payments on time and eliminating insurers’ incentive to stay silent on portions of a claim.
