To the editor: If Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the state think they’re in the hot seat now with State Farm’s Palisades fire victims, just wait to see what happens if they cause the rest of us policyholders to lose our coverage by driving it out of state or suspending its license (“Regulators may seek to suspend State Farm’s license, citing widespread mishandling of L.A. wildfire claims,” May 4). If 20% of the state’s homeowners lose their insurance coverage, the entire California insurance market will collapse.
Lara is on his final term, so he should stop running scared. Hold State Farm accountable through fines, then do your job and come up with policies that work for both policyholders and insurers.
Kathy Barreto, Culver City
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To the editor: When you have to file a claim, you quickly learn that you do not deal with a friendly insurance agent, but a State Farm claims department that doesn’t care that you’ve paid premiums for many years and never filed a claim until now. The nightmare starts as a wildfire victim when you encounter the overwhelming obstacles needed to settle your claim.
State Farm ads say “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” and “Here to help life go right.” Right — they’re there until you knock on their door. Suddenly, they’re not home to make your life go right and you don’t have a home either. It’s a rude awakening when you want the benefit you’ve paid for.
At least the state is investigating, but the fines will be insignificant compared to the coverage denied to the wildfire victims.
Bill Brock, Agoura Hills
