Silicon Valley State Senator Dave Cortese Supports First-In-The-Nation Public Wildfire Catastrophe Model
SACRAMENTO – California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) joined state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and several lawmakers to unveil a first-in-the nation public wildfire catastrophe model.
“This first-in-the-nation public wildfire catastrophe model will be transparent, science-driven, and work for everyone—homeowners, communities, emergency responders, and local governments. By investing in a university-led research center, this bill ensures a model that not only improves wildfire preparedness and planning but also gives homeowners and communities a clearer picture of wildfire risk and whether they’re getting a fair deal on insurance," said Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley).
Senator Cortese is also joint authoring a bill to develop an Insurance Community Hardening Commission..
“We can make it easier for homeowners to get insurance and make structures more wildfire safe by developing an Insurance Community Hardening Commission. It will create statewide minimum fire standards that is data-driven. This will also help builders and developers,” said Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley), who is a joint author.
Commissioner Lara’s 10 bills include:
1. The California Safe Homes Act (authored by Assembly Member Lisa Calderon) This legislation aims to create safer homes and communities by providing state-tax-free funds to help residents purchase fire-rated roofs and develop non-ignition zones around their properties, along with other crucial mitigation measures. These initiatives seek to safeguard lives and homes while enhancing eligibility for insurance discounts under Commissioner Lara’s existing Safer from Wildfires regulation. The act would establish a grant program at the Department of Insurance, utilizing existing funds without incurring additional costs to taxpayers—similar to current programs in other states that address windstorm threats. Additionally, the grants would be federal-tax-free if Congress passes the bipartisan “Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act,” which has received support from the Commissioner, many members of California’s congressional delegation, and numerous representatives from states facing the severe impacts of climate change.
2. The Business Insurance Protection Act (jointly authored by Senators Sasha Renée Pérez and Susan Rubio) The Wildfire Safety and Recovery Act of 2018 (SB 824, authored by then-Senator Lara) has protected millions of homeowners by prohibiting non-renewals of insurance for one year. SB XXX aims to extend this essential protection by broadening the insurance moratorium to include commercial policies, covering businesses, homeowners' associations (HOAs), condominiums, affordable housing units, and non-profits.
3. The Insurance Payment Protection Act (AB 597, authored by Assembly Member John Harabedian) Ensuring that wildfire survivors receive the maximum funds from their insurance claims is crucial for their recovery. To help policyholders obtain the full amount they are owed, AB 597 establishes a 15% cap on fees for adjuster-contracted work and prohibits any additional awards outside the contract. Currently, there is no limit on the fees that public adjusters can charge, which may include claims funds received before a consumer-adjuster contract is finalized—ultimately reducing the funds available for consumers to rebuild their homes and lives.
4. Eliminate “The List” Act (authored by Senator Ben Allen) This bill requires insurance companies to pay wildfire survivors 100 percent of their contents coverage without needing a detailed inventory list. It also grants consumers additional time—at least 180 days—to provide proof of loss to their insurance company following a declared state of emergency. Furthermore, the proposal aims to establish specific data collection authority to assist the Department in understanding long-term trends in risk management tools, technical data, and the integration of information related to climate-intensified risks that can significantly affect insurance availability.
5. The California Community Fire Hardening Commission Act (jointly authored by Senators Susan Rubio, Dave Cortese, and Henry Stern) Proposes the creation of an independent statewide commission within the Department of Insurance. This commission is designed to develop a more effective inspection system that enables individuals to receive insurance discounts for home hardening, thereby improving wildfire safety for entire communities. Chaired by the Insurance Commissioner, the commission will review lessons learned from recent wildfires and offer recommendations to enhance and expedite home and community hardening efforts throughout the state, among other responsibilities.
6. The Deceptive Disaster Relief Advertising Act (authored by Assembly Member Heath Flora) After major disasters, consumers are frequently bombarded with misleading advertisements that claim to provide legal or recovery services, often posing as official government or non-profit guidance. To enhance transparency and safeguard consumers from being misled during these difficult times, AB 637 requires that advertisements on social media, traditional broadcast media, and digital streaming platforms clearly display the statement: “This is a solicitation for business. Not affiliated with any government entity or non-profit.”
7. The California Wildfire Public Model Act (authored by Senator Dave Cortese) Establishes the nation's first public catastrophic model for wildfires, offering a crucial tool to assist wildfire planning and enhance transparency.
8. The Insurance and Wildfire Safety Act (AB 1, authored by Assembly Member Damon Connolly) AB 1 builds on Commissioner Lara’s groundbreaking Safer from Wildfires regulation. The legislation requires future insurance commissioners to assess the need for updates to the regulation based on new fire science and public input.
9. The FAIR Plan Stability Act (AB 226, jointly authored by Assembly Members Lisa Calderon and David Alvarez) AB 226 aims to strengthen consumer safeguards by allowing the FAIR Plan to access catastrophic bonds through the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank. This provision would add an extra layer of financial support for the state’s insurer of last resort, enabling it to continue paying consumer claims promptly in the event of a worst-case disaster.
10. The Savings Accounts for Mitigation and Catastrophes Act (AB 232, jointly authored by Assembly Members Lisa Calderon and Mike Gipson) AB 232 creates a tax-exempt savings account for consumers. This account allows them to set aside funds specifically for home hardening and insurance deductibles in the event of a disaster.