California Department of Insurance: Residential Policy Locator Service Helps Wildfire Survivors and Family Members Locate Insurance Policies

SACRAMENTO, California, Nov. 21 -- The California Department of Insurance issued the following news release:

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SB 569 helps find homeowner policies for those who lost loved ones in wildfires

As survivors and family members of wildfire victims who died tragically in the Camp and Woolsey wildfires begin to pick up the pieces of their lives and begin the process of settling the estates of their loved ones, finding lost or destroyed property insurance policies is just one challenge. The Department of Insurance has an online property insurance locator form to help survivors and family members find homeowner or renter insurance policies.

The result of Senator Bill Monning's SB 569, which was supported by Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, the new tool was introduced after Governor Brown signed the bill into law last year with an effective date of January 2018.

"Wildfire survivors and family member who lost loved ones in such tragic circumstances are already facing overwhelming emotions and an almost insurmountable road to recovery," said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "Senator Monning's bill created a sensible easy-to-use online tool to help wildfire survivors and family members start the recovery process. I was pleased to support his effort."

The service is available to property owners or the owner's legal representative if the property was damaged or destroyed in an area designated as a disaster by the President of the United States or the Governor, and the property insurance policy cannot be located and they do not know or cannot recall the name of the insurer that issued the policy.

Department of Insurance representatives will forward the information you provide on the form to insurance companies licensed in California who will search their records to determine if the property was insured. The company will contact the insured or their representative directly if they locate a policy that was in force at the time of disaster. This service is free of charge.