Monday, October 26, 2026

Fire Survivors Demand Insurance Testing Pledge From State Candidates

Coalition sets Monday deadline for commitments on toxic smoke contamination as California prepares new insurance protections

Wildfire survivors whose homes remained standing after the Eaton and Palisades fires are demanding that California’s next insurance commissioner hold insurers accountable for comprehensive testing and cleanup of smoke-contaminated properties, giving both candidates until Monday, Oct. 26, to respond.

The demand comes from six survivor organizations and former Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner, who sent a letter Thursday to state Sen. Ben Allen and former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim. The two Democrats are competing in the Nov. 3 election.

The coalition wants insurers to pay for testing that goes beyond visible smoke and soot damage, including inspections of attics, wall cavities, ductwork and heating and air conditioning systems. The requested testing would examine hazardous substances, including lead, lithium and arsenic.

The organizations include Eaton Fire Residents United, Every Fire Survivor’s Network, LA Standing Homes Network, Surviving Structures Eaton Fire and two Pacific Palisades survivor groups.

“I want to make sure people are aware of the health risk,” Beutner told City News Service in an interview published Oct. 22.

Beutner said insurance companies must take responsibility for identifying contamination and correcting damage when it is found. Survivor advocates argue that families should not have to bear the expense of demonstrating that homes surviving a wildfire remain hazardous.

The problem has affected Altadena homeowners such as Krista Copelan, whose house survived the Eaton Fire but tested positive for potentially harmful substances, including lead and beryllium. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Copelan paid for initial testing herself and subsequently faced questions about whether cleanup would adequately address the contamination.

“We don’t want to take any risks,” Copelan told the newspaper in an earlier report about her family’s concerns.

The demands come as California prepares to implement legislation addressing wildfire smoke damage.

On Sept. 15, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bills 1642 and 1795 in Altadena. The measures establish a framework for testing and remediating wildfire smoke contamination and require insurers to cover qualifying testing, cleanup and restoration.

Assembly Bill 1642 was authored by Assemblymember John Harabedian, whose district includes Pasadena and Altadena. Assembly Bill 1795 was authored by Assemblymember Mike Gipson and sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

The California Department of Insurance estimates that more than 13,000 of approximately 40,000 insurance claims arising from the January fires involve smoke damage to homes that did not burn.

The new laws are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, with additional technical standards to be developed by state agencies.

Allen has advocated stronger insurance enforcement and wildfire risk reduction within the existing insurance market. Kim has proposed a publicly operated disaster insurance system intended to provide broader protection against catastrophic losses.

For Altadena survivors, the coalition’s immediate question is whether the next insurance commissioner will ensure that insurers investigate contamination thoroughly and pay for the work needed to make damaged homes safe to occupy.