SACRAMENTO – Two additional insurance companies are pulling out of California, leaving thousands of citizens without coverage as the state approaches the start of wildfire season.
The California Department of Insurance confirmed to CBS13 that Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans-Pacific Insurance Co. would not renew their customers’ home insurance policies. Communications will be sent out this summer.
It comes weeks after State Farm announced it it wouldn’t renewing homeowners coverage for 72,000 homes and condos across the state.
As it becomes increasingly difficult for people to find and maintain cover, firefighters are preparing for a rapidly approaching wildfire season. Cal Fire is already expanding its workforce by 26 seasonal staff.
“They are the backbone of our department. When it comes to running hose lines, putting out the fire, swinging tools at the crew and operating chainsaws,” said Battalion Chief Jeff Loveless.
The seasonal staff will remain on for the next six to nine months, and mitigation efforts are already beginning across the state to reduce the amount of brush and fuel on the ground.
“The work right now is making sure that some of the storms that we’ve had, the branches that have fallen during some of the big storms, that we’re cleaning those up and being able to burn those,” Loveless said.
He reminds the public that starting prevention efforts now will help reduce the chance of a devastating fire in the coming months. Currently, Cal Fire says the seasonal outlook remains average thanks to a healthy water year and an above-average snowpack.
