Wednesday, December 3, 2025

‘Not a Safety Net — a Wrecking Ball’: Local Families Still Waiting on Insurance After Eaton Fire

Nearly one year after the Eaton Fire tore through neighborhoods in Altadena, Pasadena, and surrounding communities — destroying more than 9,400 structures and burning roughly 14,000 acres, according to Cal Fire — many local families remain unable to return home.

Survivors say stalled insurance claims, not lack of funding, is the biggest obstacle to recovery.

Joy Chen, an Altadena resident and executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network (EFSN), has emerged as a central voice in that fight. The grassroots network, which Chen says represents more than 8,500 Pasadena-area survivors, is pressing Sacramento for accountability and policy reform.

At a community briefing in Altadena last month, Chen told reporters that 70% of insured fire survivors in Los Angeles County have not received benefits they are owed, according to EFSN’s internal data.

“Insurance is supposed to be our safety net — not a wrecking ball,” Chen said.

EFSN has also compiled what it says are nearly 500 firsthand reports of claim delays and denials, mostly involving State Farm, one of the largest carriers in California.

Survivors argue that insurers are ignoring the timelines set by California regulations, which require claims to be acknowledged within 15 days, accepted or denied within 40 days, and for undisputed amounts to be paid within 30 days.

“These deadlines exist, but families are still waiting months or even longer for relief,” Chen said.

Displacement and Rebuild Delays

According to EFSN’s surveys of Pasadena-area survivors:

• 67% of Altadena households affected by the fire remain in temporary housing.
• Fewer than 38% of homes in the hardest-hit areas have begun rebuilding.

City and county officials have backed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for federal disaster recovery funding, but Chen says insurance failures are delaying recovery for many families.

“Even with government support, we can’t rebuild without our insurance,” she said.

Calling Out Regulators

The controversy intensified after reporting highlighted a 2023 “Sustainable Insurance Strategy” involving the California Department of Insurance and insurers.

Advocates, including EFSN, say the agreement contributed to widespread policy nonrenewals and greater reliance on the state’s FAIR Plan, which insures high-risk properties.

EFSN is publicly calling for Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s resignation and urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint leadership that will enforce existing insurance rules.

“It shouldn’t depend on whether we have an effective insurance commissioner,” Chen said. “We should just have those rights.”

State Farm said it has paid nearly $5 billion to wildfire survivors in California and is handling more than 13,500 claims, with staff on the ground assisting policyholders. Lara’s office has defended its reforms and welcomed public scrutiny.

Fighting for Legislative Change

EFSN is drafting legislation to convert insurance deadlines into state law, including automatic penalties for missed payments. Chen says the change would prevent future commissioners from selectively enforcing regulations.

“Families shouldn’t have to fight for the benefits they already paid for,” she said.

The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation. Federal lawsuits allege that Southern California Edison equipment may have sparked the blaze.

Chen says the utility should provide immediate housing assistance for displaced survivors until they can safely return home.

“People can’t wait for legal processes to finish,” she said. “They need roofs over their heads now.”