{"id":3057,"date":"2026-05-10T04:01:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T04:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=3057"},"modified":"2026-05-10T04:01:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T04:01:54","slug":"candidates-for-california-insurance-commissioner-say-they-can-fix-the-states-coverage-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=3057","title":{"rendered":"Candidates for California insurance commissioner say they can fix the state\u2019s coverage crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

In the wake of devastating wildfires, Californians are facing a property insurance crisis. More than 1 in 5 California homeowners are uninsured because of canceled policies and unaffordable premiums.<\/p>\n

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In an opinion column last month, legislators representing communities from San Francisco to San Diego are sending the same message: People are being forced to make impossible choices just to stay in their homes.<\/p>\n

Given the coverage issues across California, more people might be paying attention to the 2026 race for state insurance commissioner. Here\u2019s what to keep in mind when making your selection.<\/p>\n

What does the office do?<\/h3>\n

The insurance commissioner heads up a department that protects consumers from excessive or discriminatory insurance rates. It also ensures insurers pay claims and much more.<\/p>\n

Commissioners play a critical role because of their power to set rates and are limited to serving two four-year terms.<\/p>\n

Who is running?<\/h3>\n

A crowded field of 11 candidates is vying to replace term-limited incumbent Ricardo Lara.<\/p>\n

Four candidates running in the race gathered for a forum in Altadena to push for tougher sanctions against insurance companies that they say mishandled claims related to last year\u2019s wildfires in the Los Angeles area.<\/p>\n

All 11 answered questions posed by our politics reporters for our voter guide.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

What do the candidates think taxpayers should understand about this office?<\/h3>\n

Sacramento contractor Eric Aarnio believes the best way to help people understand the office is to \u201cincrease transparency and give people the ability to learn more about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, provided steps for informing the public about the role of state insurance commissioner, explaining his vision to make the work of the office \u201cvisible, understandable, and relevant to people\u2019s everyday lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, plans to implement a consumer education program in his first 100 days in office, which he called \u201cessential.\u201d<\/p>\n

Winchester insurance agent Keith Davis wants to spend more time educating taxpayers, writing that many don\u2019t fully grasp terms used in their home and auto policies.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Westwood consumer advocate and attorney Merritt Farren wrote that no other elected office will have a greater impact on a taxpayer\u2019s financial well-being. He aims to take an \u201cactive role\u201d so that the destruction in the Palisades \u201ccan\u2019t happen again in California.\u201d<\/p>\n

San Jose CEO Robert Howell wants to change that insurance decisions \u201cfeel like they\u2019re happening behind closed doors.\u201d He wrote that the office needs a leader who will look out for consumers.<\/p>\n

San Francisco attorney and consumer advocate Jane Kim wrote that she will create a \u201cpublic, searchable database\u201d so taxpayers can make \u201cinformed decisions\u201d about which insurer to select.<\/p>\n

Grover Beach financial and insurance advisor Stacy Korsgaden explained that the Department of Insurance faces a \u201cstructural conflict,\u201d in which the office that is supposed to protect consumers and keep the market healthy \u201cbenefits financially when premiums climb.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Irvine CEO Sean Lee plans to create a public dashboard to explain \u201cthe most important things taxpayers actually care about\u201d in plain language. He also wrote he would hold regular public briefings and explain major decisions directly to the public.<\/p>\n

Alhambra science teacher Eduardo Vargas believes that \u201cwhether or not your insurance premiums go up this year is a political choice made by regulators.\u201d He has plans to deny approval for major rate increases and launch an audit of rate hikes over the last five years.<\/p>\n

San Francisco financial analyst Patrick Wolff outlined changes he would make to improve transparency, including a modernization of the Department website, a \u201cmuch more readable\u201d annual report and an annual letter to the public explaining \u201ckey facts and developments in California\u2019s insurance markets.\u201d<\/p>\n

An in-depth look at strategy<\/h3>\n

Four of the candidates submitted op-eds to our opinion team outlining their policies.<\/p>\n

State Sen. Allen wrote that his \u201clegislative experience and relationships\u201d will enable him to \u201chit the ground running.\u201d Highlighting his emergency response to the Palisades Fire, Allen has a four step plan to stabilize the market, hold the industry accountable, transform the Department into a rapid-response agency and reduce risks.<\/p>\n

Former Sen. Bradford wrote that \u201cThe status quo isn\u2019t working for consumers and businesses alike.\u201d As Insurance Commissioner, Bradford said he will \u201cbring transparency to insurance pricing\u201d and enforce \u201cpublic explanations by insurance companies anytime they raise rates.\u201d<\/p>\n

In her op-ed, front runner and former San Francisco Supervisor Kim said she wants a publicly-run single-payer system, which she calls the \u201cDisaster Insurance for All program.\u201d With this model, Kim said the public would re-invest their dollars into prevention and coverage would be guaranteed for all homeowners.<\/p>\n

Insurance commissioner candidate Patrick Wolff wrote that \u201cour political system keeps putting people in charge of insurance regulation who have no insurance experience.\u201d He claims to be the only candidate with a comprehensive plan to address all major lines of insurance.<\/p>\n

Making your choice<\/h3>\n

To help you make decisions about the numerous candidates, measures, propositions and other races on your ballot, our editorial board (made up of opinion writers and editors), makes recommendations every election. The process is completely separate from newsroom reporting and journalists. With the exception of our executive editor, the members of our editorial board are not news reporters or editors.<\/p>\n

Sal Rodriguez, the opinion editor for the Southern California News Group\u2019s 11 newspapers, heads the editorial board and guides our stances on public policy and political matters.<\/p>\n

Every week, our team analyzes legislation, monitors political developments, interviews elected officials or policy advocates and writes editorials on the issues of the day. Unsigned editorials reflect the consensus of our editorial board, with the aim of offering arguments that are empirically sound and intellectually consistent.<\/p>\n

They identify credible candidates through surveys and interviews, deliberate based on our editorial precedent and in light of contemporary realities, and issue endorsements accordingly.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, our opinion team endorsed Patrick Wolff for California insurance commissioner. He, according to our team, understands every aspect of insurance and its regulation.<\/p>\n

Given the state\u2019s property insurance crisis, are you looking more closely at this race than you have in the past?<\/p>\n

Read more Woman wounded in car-to-car shooting on westbound 10 Freeway in Banning<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

California insurance coverage issues might have more people paying attention to the race for the office of state insurance commissioner this year. Here\u2019s what to know before you vote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-facts","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nCandidates for California insurance commissioner say they can fix the state\u2019s coverage crisis - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=3057\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Candidates for California insurance commissioner say they can fix the state\u2019s coverage crisis - Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"California insurance coverage issues might have more people paying attention to the race for the office of state insurance commissioner this year. 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