California Insurance Commissioner Appoints Members to New Smoke Claims and Remediation Task Force

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has appointed members to his new Smoke Claims and Remediation Task Force, as part of his response to issues over smoke damage caused by wildfires across the state, including the handling of smoke damage claims arising from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in January.

Led by the California Department of Insurance, the task force includes state and local public health experts, fire safety experts, smoke remediation specialists, industrial hygienists, consumer advocates and representatives from the insurance industry. Together, they will recommend science-based insurance standards and best practices for safely returning to and restoring homes and personal property.

The Los Angeles wildfires are considered the state’s largest urban disaster, underscoring the need for new policies and standards in managing smoke damage claims. Without clear statewide protocols, many consumers report having their claims denied without thorough investigation or being compelled to return to homes they feel are unsafe, especially as smoke impacts extend beyond the immediate fire areas to downwind neighborhoods, according to the California Department of Insurance.

Lara in June launched a formal investigation into State Farm’s handling of thousands of insurance claims from wildfire survivors affected by the L.A. wildfires, particularly over smoke damage claims.

The department is also investigating hundreds of smoke damage-related complaints from wildfire survivors concerning various insurance companies and the California FAIR Plan.

Related: Judge Says California FAIR Plan Violates Law; Industry Fights Consumer Group Suit

Lara is also working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to engage with other insurance regulators facing similar smoke damage challenges in their states. The absence of consistent public health standards for smoke damage following wildfires, as seen in the 2023 Lahaina Fire in Maui, Hawaii, and the 2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder, Colorado, has resulted in confusion, delays, and inconsistent treatment of homeowners, according to the CDI.

Task force members include:

• Tony Cignarale, deputy insurance commissioner for consumer services and market conduct at the California Department of Insurance, who will chair the task force.
• Rita Nguyen, assistant state public health officer at the California Department of Public Health
• Nichole Quick, chief medical advisor at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
• Chief Frank Bigelow, deputy director for community wildfire preparedness and mitigation in the Office of the State Fire Marshal at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire)
• Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders
• Richard Holober, board treasurer for the Consumer Federation of California Education Foundation
• Brad Kovar, CEO of Safeguard EnviroGroup Inc.
• Patrick Moffett, president of Blue Sky Environmental Consulting Inc.
• Kristofer Griffith, vice president of operations at Anderson Group International
• Hamid Arabzadeh, principal at HRA Environmental Consultants Inc.
• Michelle Rosales, director of environmental health services at Forensic Analytical Consulting Services
• Allison Adey, legislative advocate at the Personal Insurance Federation of California
• Karen Collins, vice president, property and environmental at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association

The task force is expected to meet monthly, with a timeline to deliver recommendations to the commissioner by early 2026. The group also plans to receive presentations from wildfire survivor groups, fire safety experts, public health specialists and insurance industry representatives.