Survivors of the Eaton Fire, which torched its way through Altadena and parts of Pasadena in January, have called out State Farm for alleged mishandling of insurance claims.
Residents of the embattled community gathered at the State Farm catastrophe claim tent Thursday on Colorado Boulevard, urging California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to launch a formal investigation into the insurance giant, alleging it has failed to uphold its duty to wildfire victims by routinely denying and delaying valid claims. Eaton Fire victims also denounced the insurance empire for requesting a 17 percent emergency rate hike, which Lara approved last month on a “‘provisional’ basis, pending an administrative judge’s sign-off,” per the Los Angeles Times.
“The disaster began with the Eaton fire, but for us, the real trauma began when we filed a smoke damage claim with State Farm,” said speaker Wendy Davis on Thursday.
Davis said that her five-bedroom home in Altadena remains covered in toxic soot and ash 100 days after the fire, adding that State Farm has “delayed, stonewalled and denied us the help that we’re entitled to” by routinely switching out adjusters.
Speakers also said that they have resorted to maxing out their credit cards while hopping from one rental home to another while waiting for their insurance claims to be resolved. One family reportedly had to move between three hotels and two sets of friends before moving into a rental unit. Kelsey Szamet said the constant moving has been “destabilizing” for her two young daughters.
“There’s a lot of big feelings, big emotional responses that are not typical for them,” Szamet said.
Szamet accused State Farm of essentially delaying and denying until people give up seeking relief.
Shawna Dawson Beer, founder of the Beautiful Altadena Facebook group, said that the community will not stop until State Farm is held to account.
“We will continue to speak up for our neighbors, for ourselves, for our community,” Beers said. “And we will not go quietly.”
The Eaton Fire destroyed nearly 9,500 structures, displacing thousands of people, causing an estimated $10 billion in loses while severely damaging the local economy.
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