Joint Sting Operation in Monterey County Uncovers Alleged Unlicensed Contractors

By Erol Kilic On December 6, 2023, the Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) announced a joint operation with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) that successfully identified nine unlicensed contractors in a Monterey Continue reading

Commissioner Lara Announces “Sustainable Insurance Strategy” Drawing Strong Opposition from Consumer Advocacy Groups

By Alexandra Harten On September 21, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-13-23 directing the Insurance Commissioner “to take prompt regulatory action to strengthen and stabilize California’s marketplace for homeowners insurance and commercial property insurance, and to consider whether the Continue reading

DOI Supports AB 970: Establishing a Climate and Sustainability Insurance and Risk Reduction Program

By Shiloh Wallack AB 970 (Rivas), introduced on February 14, 2023, by Assemblymember Luz Rivas, and supported by the Department of Insurance (DOI), would add and repeal Article 2.5 (commencing with section 12945) of Chapter 2 of Division 3 of Continue reading

Department of Insurance Co-Hosts Forum on Federal Resources Available to Californians Recovering from Natural Disasters

By Shiloh Wallack On February 6, 2023, Ricardo Lara, Commissioner of the California Department of Insurance (DOI), issued a press release regarding a public forum to discuss the federal resources available to those impacted by natural disasters and any plans Continue reading

Commissioner Lara’s New Appointments to the Department of Insurance Advance Consumer Protection Goals

By Shiloh Wallack On October 14, 2022, Department of Insurance (DOI) Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced several appointments to various boards and committees within DOI in an effort to meet DOI’s consumer protection goals. These appointments included naming three members to Continue reading

Commissioner Lara Protects Homeowner Insurance Coverage Following Wildfire Emergency Declaration

By Shiloh Wallack On September 22, 2022, Ricardo Lara, Commissioner of the California Department of Insurance (DOI), issued a press release informing Californians that DOI will “protect insurance coverage for over 236,000 homeowners following wildfire emergencies in Northern and Southern Continue reading

Passage of SB 245 Expands Abortion Access for Californians 

By Allison Plette SB 245 (Gonzalez), known as Abortion Accessibility Act, as amended February 14, 2022, and as it relates to the Department of Insurance, adds section 10123.1961 to the Insurance Code to expand access to reproductive health care by Continue reading

Safeco Insurance Company Faces Class-Action Lawsuit over Automobile Insurance Rates During COVID-19 Pandemic

By Jackson Sullivan On November 23, 2021, in Jimmy Monge v. Safeco Insurance Company of America et al., Case No. 2:21-cv-09175-MWF-AFM (C.D. Cal.)., plaintiffs filed a class action complaint in the Central District of California on behalf of the putative Continue reading

California Department of Insurance Sponsors AB 2238 (Rivas) Establish Heat Wave Ranking System in California

By Julia Zeigler AB 2238 (Rivas), as amended March 23, 2022, would add Part 5.5 (commencing with section 71410) to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code to establish a publicly accessible ranking system for heat waves, with clear categories Continue reading

Proposed Bill Would Permit California Department of Insurance to Order Restitution to Victims of Unlicensed Insurance Sellers

By Allison Plette SB 1040 (Rubio), as introduced February 15, 2022, would amend sections 12928.6 and 12976 of, and add section 12928.7 to, the Insurance Code to authorize the Insurance Commissioner to order restitution to consumers for illegal actions by Continue reading