Homeowners in Los Angeles, whose real estate survived the recent forest fires, discover that their insurance policies may not cover the costly cleaning of poisonous soot and ash and leave them with considerable financial burdens.
Anna Phillips reports for The Washington Post.
Consoling:
- In many homeowners insured as part of the California Fair Plan, the coverage of smoking pollution is refused, whereby the insurers only pay for “permanent physical changes” and not for poisonous residues.
- Previously, the California regulatory authorities found that the smoke protection guidelines of the exhibition plan have violated state law, but the enforcement remains weak, and homeowners have long legal battles.
- Some residents have spent thousands to clean efforts just to experience health problems through continuing impurities, while other complaints are considering forcing the insurers to pay for a renovation.
Key quotation:
“You think you have an insurance company that makes things easier, and now it's just a full -time job to try to try to protect your family.”
– Damian Horan, policyholder for fair plan, forest fire – survivor and cancer survivor
Why does that count:
Forest fires not only destroy houses – they leave toxic chemicals that linger for months or for years and threaten the health of the residents. Soot and ashes of burned plastics, electronics and chemicals can penetrate walls, carpets and HLK systems and expose families to health risks such as breathing problems and cancer in the long term. Since climate change drives more frequent and more intensive fires, insurers withdraw from areas with high risk and from adequate clean -up work and leave homeowners only a few options for protection or recovery.
Find out more: California plans to change the insurance rules considerable if forest fires increase the risk