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California’s Home Insurance Market Is in Crisis. Can a New Insurance Commissioner Fix It?

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Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

California is in the grip of a home insurance crisis. Climate change, wildfires and inflation are driving costs through the roof, major insurers have fled the state or dropped coverage and the state’s last-resort FAIR plan has drawn plenty of criticisms — all while companies push for even higher rates.

Voters are about to elect a new insurance commissioner to oversee it all. Scott and KQED science reporter Danielle Venton look at what’s driving the crisis and how candidates say they’d fix it.

For more information on the races and ballot measures in California’s June 2 primary election, check out KQED’s Voter Guide.

Join us for a town hall at KQED with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a top Republican in the race for governor. Bianco will be talking with KQED’s Marisa Lagos and taking audience questions on Monday, May 18 at 7:00pm at KQED headquarters in San Francisco.

You can register for the event at KQED.org/events.

 

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