Commissioner Lara advises wildfire survivors of County debris removal program
News: 2025 Press Release
LOS ANGELES — As Los Angeles County announced the start of cleanup from the recent devastating wildfires, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today informed wildfire survivors that the program will not impose out-of-pocket costs on policyholders over and above any insurance proceeds provided to the property owner for debris removal.. The California Department of Insurance worked closely with local, state, and federal leaders to ensure that the program’s costs are not deducted from a policyholder’s primary insurance benefits needed to rebuild. Commissioner Lara has issued a Consumer Alert and Notice detailing how the program will interact with insurance — a benefit available to all eligible property owners who choose to participate in the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires Debris Removal Program.
“My goal is to help people maximize their insurance payouts to assist survivors in rebuilding and recovering quickly. If the debris removal program is genuinely available at no direct cost to all Los Angeles County residents, it should not affect their insurance claims and their ability to rebuild,” said Commissioner Lara. “Take the time to learn about this important benefit before deciding to go it alone, or call my Department to speak with experts who can answer your questions.”
The County’s debris removal program requests that property owners sign a “Right of Entry Form” to begin the process. According to the Department’s Consumer Alert, “If you agree to participate in the Program and sign the County’s Right of Entry (ROE) form, under most circumstances, you should not have any out-of-pocket costs over and above any insurance proceeds provided by your insurance company for debris removal.”
Property owners who decide not to use the County’s debris removal program could still use their insurance to cover the cost of private debris removal, but those costs could be deducted from the total coverage limits available in their policy — leaving survivors with less money to rebuild. In recent wildfires, the average cost of debris removal was more than $100,000 per property for those who did not utilize the free program.
Commissioner Lara has taken a series of actions to speed the recovery process for consumers. Last week, he issued a Bulletin to all California insurance companies requiring that insurance companies issue advance payments to policyholders who suffered a total loss in the Southern California wildfire emergency. Many people have already received these upfront payments for personal contents and additional living expenses, with some companies paying more than the law requires.
The Department’s insurance experts have given one-on-one assistance to nearly 3,500 individuals — 2,300 through in-person workshops that the Department hosted in Santa Monica and Pasadena and at disaster recovery centers, and 1,200 through the Department’s 800-927-4357 hotline. The Department has extended its hotline hours to Monday through Friday, 9AM to 7PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 9AM to 1PM.
The Department also issued a guide to avoid scams after a disaster as there are often unscrupulous individuals who try and take advantage of disaster survivors who can be vulnerable during these challenging times. Consumers who have questions on their insurance or wish to file a complaint against a public adjuster, insurance company, or contractor can do so on the Department’s website or by calling 800-927-4357.
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Media Notes:
- Consumer Alert: How Insurance Interacts with the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires Consolidated Debris Removal Program
- Notice to insurance companies on debris removal.
- California law requires upfront payments if requested, including:
- Payment of Contents Without Inventory: Existing law requires insurance companies to advance funds for replacing personal property or contents in an amount that is 30 percent of the policy’s dwelling limit, up to $250,000, without requiring the policyholder to file an itemized claim. After receiving the advance payment for contents, the policyholder can recover the full value of their destroyed personal property, up to their policy limits, by complying with documentation requirements.
- Additional Living Expense (ALE) Advance Payment: Existing law requires insurers to provide their policyholders with an advance payment of no less than four months of living expenses. This also applies to California FAIR Plan policies, which use the term “FAIR Rental Value” instead of ALE.
- Don't Get Scammed After a Disaster Information Guide - English
- Evite Las Estafas Después de un Desastre Information Guide – Spanish
Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
