Opinion: Here's why L.A. fire survivors want Ricardo Lara's resignation

"A New York Times investigation recently revealed that California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara struck a secret deal with insurance companies, giving them regulatory favors while allowing them to dump tens of thousands of policyholders. It was a bombshell. But for those of us living through this crisis, it wasn't news. As survivors of the Los Angeles fires, we've spent 10 months inside the collapse of California's insurance system."

"A system that should be a safety net has become a wrecking ball, destroying our finances, our health and the futures we've worked so hard to build for our kids. California's recovery is being dragged down by the collapse of its insurance system and by one official's failure to stop it. California has some of the nation's strongest consumer protection laws. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara simply hasn't enforced them."

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara struck a secret deal with insurance companies, granting regulatory favors while allowing them to drop tens of thousands of policyholders. Insurers received a billion-dollar rate hike for State Farm in May even as scrutiny of misconduct was delayed. A survey of insured Los Angeles fire survivors found 70% reported recovery impeded by delays and denials. Survivors submitted more than 400 reports of insurer delays and denials and offered five urgent actions, including freezing rate hikes until survivors are made whole and requiring transparent loss estimates. Over 80% of L.A. fire survivors remain displaced and face imminent loss of housing coverage.

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