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Fifteen major insurers reported updated claims loss data to California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones revealing the new total of insured losses from the state's October wildfires now tops $3 billion – a threefold increase in just two weeks-and expected to climb still higher according to department officials.
"As shocking as $3 billion in insured losses are, the number is sure to grow, as more claims are coming," said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "The insured losses only tell part of the tragic story of the October fires. We must remember that 43 people lost their lives and behind every insurance claim is someone who has lost their home, their business, and their precious memories. It will take years for these communities to recover and rebuild."
The latest report notes the widespread destruction resulted in damaging or destroying more than 14,700 homes, 728 business, and more than 3,600 private autos, commercials vehicles, and agricultural equipment and watercraft.
Commissioner Jones visited the wildfire zones throughout northern California and met with residents in the local assistance centers where he heard first-hand the harrowing stories of loss from victims who escaped with only minutes to spare.
Jones took extraordinary steps to assist wildfire victims by dispatching detectives from the department's law enforcement team to educate residents about how to avoid being victimized by scam artists who prey on vulnerable residents after disasters and sending consumer services teams to every local assistance center to personally meet with consumers and help them begin the claims process and answer insurance-related questions.
As of Oct. 29, the department's consumer services team assisted 1,163 individuals across the state, the majority of which were in Northern California.
Earlier this month, Jones also issued a notice to insurers asking them to expedite claims, by cutting through red tape and doing all they can do to help policyholders who are likely to have little or no documentation that insurers normally require.
Jones also signed a declaration of an emergency, which allows the insurers to tap out-of-state claims adjusters from their other offices, which effectively expands their claims adjuster workforce.
When processing tens of thousands of claims, this is an important step in increasing the claims processing capacity for insurers and helping speed the recovery and rebuilding process.
He also directed the licensing department to issue a notice to all licensed public adjusters and admitted carriers to remind them of the rules, regulations, and limitations on solicitation and compensation that govern public adjusters' work in California.
Jones also has an important caution for wildfire victims-be careful to check the license of contractors who solicit business-this is done quickly on the Contractors State License Board using a smart device.
Public adjusters are restricted from soliciting business from residents until seven days after evacuation orders are lifted.
Consumers who have any difficulty with their insurer will find the department's consumer services team stands ready to assist at 800-927-4357.
The department has recovered more than $300 million dollars for consumers since Jones took office in 2011.
"As shocking as $3 billion in insured losses are, the number is sure to grow, as more claims are coming," said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "The insured losses only tell part of the tragic story of the October fires. We must remember that 43 people lost their lives and behind every insurance claim is someone who has lost their home, their business, and their precious memories. It will take years for these communities to recover and rebuild."
The latest report notes the widespread destruction resulted in damaging or destroying more than 14,700 homes, 728 business, and more than 3,600 private autos, commercials vehicles, and agricultural equipment and watercraft.
Commissioner Jones visited the wildfire zones throughout northern California and met with residents in the local assistance centers where he heard first-hand the harrowing stories of loss from victims who escaped with only minutes to spare.
Jones took extraordinary steps to assist wildfire victims by dispatching detectives from the department's law enforcement team to educate residents about how to avoid being victimized by scam artists who prey on vulnerable residents after disasters and sending consumer services teams to every local assistance center to personally meet with consumers and help them begin the claims process and answer insurance-related questions.
As of Oct. 29, the department's consumer services team assisted 1,163 individuals across the state, the majority of which were in Northern California.
Earlier this month, Jones also issued a notice to insurers asking them to expedite claims, by cutting through red tape and doing all they can do to help policyholders who are likely to have little or no documentation that insurers normally require.
Jones also signed a declaration of an emergency, which allows the insurers to tap out-of-state claims adjusters from their other offices, which effectively expands their claims adjuster workforce.
When processing tens of thousands of claims, this is an important step in increasing the claims processing capacity for insurers and helping speed the recovery and rebuilding process.
He also directed the licensing department to issue a notice to all licensed public adjusters and admitted carriers to remind them of the rules, regulations, and limitations on solicitation and compensation that govern public adjusters' work in California.
Jones also has an important caution for wildfire victims-be careful to check the license of contractors who solicit business-this is done quickly on the Contractors State License Board using a smart device.
Public adjusters are restricted from soliciting business from residents until seven days after evacuation orders are lifted.
Consumers who have any difficulty with their insurer will find the department's consumer services team stands ready to assist at 800-927-4357.
The department has recovered more than $300 million dollars for consumers since Jones took office in 2011.
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- Written by: Editor
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Pacific Gas and Electric Co. on Monday outlined a series of billing and service modifications and disaster relief and rebuilding policies to support customers recovering from the immediate aftermath of the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires.
“At PG&E, our thoughts and prayers are with our customers and communities that have been impacted by these extraordinary wildfires. We realize this is a very difficult time for everyone and we want to help. With that, we are further enhancing our standing disaster billing and credit policies to allow our customers to focus on their families and futures. We will be with our customers every step of the way, towards rebuilding the communities that we are privileged to serve,” said Deborah Affonsa, PG&E’s vice president of Customer Service.
PG&E has a comprehensive disaster billing and credit policy in place that temporarily creates a billing hold, stopping bills during and after a disaster.
Under the policy, the company will not disconnect any customers within the disaster area for nonpayment during the period of the emergency.
PG&E will offer deposit relief for red-tag customers by returning deposits on accounts, if applicable and will not charge a new deposit for up to one year.
This policy will be in effect for “fire-affected areas” which include up to a quarter mile outside the fire perimeter as determined by Cal Fire.
In activating this policy in response to the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires, PG&E has:
– Suspended all collection actions at the onset of the wildfires for all customers, both residential and commercial, within the impacted communities and beyond for those impacted by poor air quality.
– Protected customers from collection action for one year, in the impacted communities until further notice.
– Waived account re-establishment deposits for affected customers.
– Continued working with customers to provide flexible, reasonable payment arrangements as needed.
PG&E has filed a request to the CPUC, by advice letter, to temporarily waive the cost of installation and removal of service extensions for temporary power under Electric Rule 13 for those customers who are rebuilding.
In order to support low-income customers impacted by the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires:
– PG&E will extend all California Alternative Rate for Energy (CARE) eligibility by 12 months in impacted counties. Approximately 42,000 customers will have their CARE eligibility extended into 2019.
– PG&E is freezing all standard and high-usage Post Enrollment Verification (PEV) requests in impacted counties until at least Dec. 31, 2017 and will revisit extending this freeze.
– PG&E has contacted nine Community Outreach Contractors, the community-based organizations who assist in enrolling hard-to-reach CARE customers, in impacted counties and sent information earlier this month on freezing standard and high-usage PEVs. Follow-up calls will be made to organizations as necessary.
– PG&E has contacted The Salvation Army, the administrator of Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH), a PG&E- and customer-funded emergency assistance program, to request increasing assistance cap amount for the next 12 months for impacted customers from $300 to $600.
If a customer’s home or business was destroyed in the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires, the account will be billed through October 7, 2017, the day before wildfires started.
For more information, please visit www.pge.com/wildfireresources and click on “Billing for Affected Customers.”
PG&E is continuing to work across the company to review policies and procedures to ensure it is supporting and providing relief to its customers who were impacted by the 2017 Northern California wildfires.
Customers can reach the company any time of day through PG&E’s customer service helpline at 1-800-743-5000.
“At PG&E, our thoughts and prayers are with our customers and communities that have been impacted by these extraordinary wildfires. We realize this is a very difficult time for everyone and we want to help. With that, we are further enhancing our standing disaster billing and credit policies to allow our customers to focus on their families and futures. We will be with our customers every step of the way, towards rebuilding the communities that we are privileged to serve,” said Deborah Affonsa, PG&E’s vice president of Customer Service.
PG&E has a comprehensive disaster billing and credit policy in place that temporarily creates a billing hold, stopping bills during and after a disaster.
Under the policy, the company will not disconnect any customers within the disaster area for nonpayment during the period of the emergency.
PG&E will offer deposit relief for red-tag customers by returning deposits on accounts, if applicable and will not charge a new deposit for up to one year.
This policy will be in effect for “fire-affected areas” which include up to a quarter mile outside the fire perimeter as determined by Cal Fire.
In activating this policy in response to the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires, PG&E has:
– Suspended all collection actions at the onset of the wildfires for all customers, both residential and commercial, within the impacted communities and beyond for those impacted by poor air quality.
– Protected customers from collection action for one year, in the impacted communities until further notice.
– Waived account re-establishment deposits for affected customers.
– Continued working with customers to provide flexible, reasonable payment arrangements as needed.
PG&E has filed a request to the CPUC, by advice letter, to temporarily waive the cost of installation and removal of service extensions for temporary power under Electric Rule 13 for those customers who are rebuilding.
In order to support low-income customers impacted by the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires:
– PG&E will extend all California Alternative Rate for Energy (CARE) eligibility by 12 months in impacted counties. Approximately 42,000 customers will have their CARE eligibility extended into 2019.
– PG&E is freezing all standard and high-usage Post Enrollment Verification (PEV) requests in impacted counties until at least Dec. 31, 2017 and will revisit extending this freeze.
– PG&E has contacted nine Community Outreach Contractors, the community-based organizations who assist in enrolling hard-to-reach CARE customers, in impacted counties and sent information earlier this month on freezing standard and high-usage PEVs. Follow-up calls will be made to organizations as necessary.
– PG&E has contacted The Salvation Army, the administrator of Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH), a PG&E- and customer-funded emergency assistance program, to request increasing assistance cap amount for the next 12 months for impacted customers from $300 to $600.
If a customer’s home or business was destroyed in the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires, the account will be billed through October 7, 2017, the day before wildfires started.
For more information, please visit www.pge.com/wildfireresources and click on “Billing for Affected Customers.”
PG&E is continuing to work across the company to review policies and procedures to ensure it is supporting and providing relief to its customers who were impacted by the 2017 Northern California wildfires.
Customers can reach the company any time of day through PG&E’s customer service helpline at 1-800-743-5000.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
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