Tuesday, at the urging of Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara extended a one-year moratorium on non-renewals of homeowners insurance policies in zip codes impacted by the Hughes Fire.

Lara amended his order to include the zip codes 91354, 91355, 91381, 91383, 91384, 91390, 93040, 93222, 93225, 93243 and 93532, which includes areas impacted by the Hughes Fire.

“The fires throughout Los Angeles County were devastating and the Hughes Fire was an immediate threat to our community” said Sen. Valladares. “My constituents are already grappling with unaffordable insurance premiums, and the uncertainty of having coverage is unsettling for our families when faced with the instability the fires have caused.”

On Jan. 23, Sen. Valladares sent an urgent letter to Lara, expressing deep concern for the residents of her district, who are facing the dual challenges of escalating wildfire threats and rising insurance premiums. Many of her constituents reported fears that their insurance providers may drop coverage altogether due to the proximity of the Hughes Fire to their homes.

Senator Valladares called on the Insurance Commissioner to act quickly, and now residents in the impacted areas know they can remain covered. With many already facing the financial burden of high insurance premiums, this change will help provide much-needed security.

“The Hughes Fire is another example of the increasing challenges we face,” said Sen. Valladares. “We are seeing more extreme wildfires, more devastation, and an insurance market that isn’t keeping up with these growing threats. I’m grateful that the Commissioner extended this relief and security to our community.”

Sen. Valladares has long been a strong advocate for wildfire victims, fighting for policies that not only address the immediate destruction caused by wildfires, but also providing long term support for rebuilding efforts and protecting the affordability of insurance. In the Assembly, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed her legislation to study policies to ease the insurance crisis, and she introduced a bill to make it easier to remove potential wildfire fuel from federal land. Earlier this year, she introduced legislation to streamline the undergrounding of power lines in wildfire-prone parts of the state.

Residents in the impacted zip codes who have received non-renewal notices should contact the Insurance Commissioner’s office or the office of Sen. Valladares.

Ed. Note: The above information was provided to KHTS by Valladares’ Office.

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