California Opens Investigation Into State Farm Over Eaton Fire Claims
More than 400 complaints from Altadena survivors helped spark the review
After months of growing pressure, California’s Department of Insurance has finally launched a formal investigation into State Farm’s handling of wildfire claims tied to the Eaton and Palisades Fires.
Survivors from Altadena submitted over 400 complaints, citing:
Denied or delayed claims
Inadequate payouts
Lack of transparency
Mishandled property damage and smoke contamination cases
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara confirmed the investigation on June 12. The review will examine how State Farm handled both homeowners and renters claims during and after the disasters, especially those involving homes damaged but not fully destroyed.
When communities are recovering from devastating wildfires, the last thing survivors should face is an insurance company that drags its feet or turns its back. We are opening this investigation to ensure State Farm followed the law and treated policyholders fairly.
-Commissioner Ricardo Lara
This marks a major shift. Survivors and advocates have been pushing for this for months, arguing that the largest insurer in the country abandoned people when they needed help most.
If your claim was denied or mishandled by State Farm (or any other insurer), you can still submit a complaint:
File a complaint with CA Dept. of Insurance
Public pressure works, this investigation happened because of you.