Foothills Residents Learn Their Fire Insurance Has Been Canceled
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - As we enter the hot days of summer, the risk and of wildfires is also increasing. Thousands of people are scrambling to find fire insurance after their policies were canceled.
One man has to go out of the state to find an insurance company who would cover him. As fire departments get ready homeowners are facing no coverage are doing the same.
"It seems ever since Paradise, issue and all the exposure these insurance companies have it's almost impossible to get written," said 49er Jack.
49er Jack, as he likes to be called, has lived in the same Granite Bay home for 24 years with the same insurance company and never had a fire. When his insurance company canceled him, he reached out to a few brokers and was shocked to see his rates had quadrupled.
"I got a couple bids for $12,000-$16,000 and that's not realistic," he said.
Jack got this notice of non-renewal from his insurance carrier who said his property had poor accessibility for firefighters...and was close to natural brush.
He says the same could be said for many of the homes in the foothills.
"What insurance companies have done is encompassed a large geographical area," he said.
The California Insurance Commission says property owners need to know their rights when it comes to non-renewals:
* Notice 45 Days Prior to expiration
* Must Contain Reasons
* Phone # for Questions/Complaints
* CA Dept. of Insurance Referral
After three weeks of calling around, Jack finally found coverage from an out-of-state carrier, but he wants to get the word out. He worries what cancellations and skyrocketing rates will do for home sales across the area. He also says the state-sponsored plan isn't enough.