LA influencer rebuilds after losing kitchen, home to 2025 fires
When the Palisades Fire broke out on January 7, 2025, Malibu resident and food influencer, Fiona Afshar, lost her home and thought she’d lose the brand she built on Instagram, too.
Lawmakers are advancing several bills to improve transparency and accountability between Californians and their home insurers, as the California FAIR Plan — the state’s insurer of last resort — grows rapidly and could be forced to expand coverage.
In the aftermath of the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, which racked up billions in damage, numerous fire survivors have detailed a recovery process hampered by insurance.
Introduced in January, one bill aims to get every claim-related document into policyholders’ hands, allowing them to track what’s going on during a covered loss.
Senate Bill 877 would require insurers to give policyholders all versions of their loss estimates, including any revisions, and to disclose who made or approved each change and why.
Another, more forward-looking bill looks at what happens after someone successfully rebuilds. SB 1076 would prevent insurers from refusing to sell or renew coverage for homes that meet baseline home‑hardening and wildfire‑mitigation standards. Introduced by Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who also authored SB 877, the measure is backed by the Eaton Fire Survivors Network and Consumer Watchdog.
“I’ve spoken with Eaton Fire survivors whose newly built homes will meet the highest levels of protection against wildfires but still fear they won’t be able to purchase insurance,” Pérez said in a statement. “Being denied coverage after meeting safety standards sends the wrong message and is akin to being penalized for doing the right thing.”
Have the California FAIR Plan? Bill could force some change
Introduced in February by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon of California’s 56th Assembly District, the Make it FAIR Act looks to make the California FAIR Plan comply with numerous recommendations made in a 2025 report.
The recommendations, according to the California Department of Insurance, include offering a more comprehensive homeowners coverage option. Policyholders have to get a separate insurance policy to get covered for things like water damage, the department said, adding to a person’s expenses.
Another recommendation focuses on increasing staffing levels, though the FAIR Plan responded that it has already hired more employees and continues to do so as demand requires.
As of December 2025, the FAIR Plan had more than 600,000 active policies, up 146% since September 2022.
That sharp increase is a sign of an insurability crisis, according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council. The environmental advocacy organization’s report examined how state leaders nationwide could address what Californians are already experiencing — climate shaping who gets insured, and at what cost.
Getting dropped by your insurer? Notice must come 6 months out
A 2024 San Francisco Chronicle analysis found that more than 100,000 Californians lost their home insurance in recent years. Under SB 1301, policyholders would at least get a more advanced heads-up.
Insurers would have to send nonrenewal notices at least 180 days (about six months) before a policy expires under the legislation introduced by Sen. Ben Allen of California’s Senate District 24. Currently, nonrenewal notices must be sent at least 75 days before the policy expires.
Another bill seeks to penalize insurers with interest charges when they do not comply with deadlines. The same bill, SB 878, introduced by Pérez, would require insurers to provide data, such as how many days late they were in responding to a claim or the number of claims not handled in compliance, to be published online.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.