Weekly Roundup: Insurance Crisis Hits Renters; Reform and Recovery in California; Mapping the Regulation Maze
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2026
Contact: contact@insurancefairnessproject.com
Weekly Roundup: Insurance Crisis Hits Renters; Reform and Recovery in California; Mapping the Regulation Maze
Each week, the Insurance Fairness Project highlights the latest developments in the national climate-driven property insurance crisis. For more insurance updates, follow us on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and Bluesky.
1/ FOR RENTERS, RISING INSURANCE COSTS ARE EXACERBATING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS: A new report from the Climate and Community Institute (CCI) warns that the insurance crisis is making affordable housing harder for renters to find and afford, as multifamily housing developers and operators face sharply rising premiums and fewer coverage options — delaying new construction and raising operating costs.
Climate and Community Institute: Insurance: The Hidden Market Force Threatening Affordable Housing
“‘As insurers raise rates, affordable housing providers are left with fewer options, tighter budgets, and growing pressure to cut back on the very investments that keep housing safe, resilient, and affordable,’ said Alexandra Casey, research fellow at CCI and lead author of the report.”
2/ MAPPING THE MAZE OF STATE INSURANCE REGULATION: As homeowner insurance premiums soar, the Revolving Door Project has published a set of interactive maps showing the complex, state-by-state differences in how insurance is regulated — including different rate approval processes, state regulator capacity, and restrictions on regulators lobbying for the industry after leaving their public roles.
Boise State Public Radio: With maps, nonprofit tries to make tangle of state-level insurance regulations easier to understand
3/ PAYOUTS WON’T COVER WILDFIRE RECOVERY COSTS: Survivors of California’s disastrous 2025 wildfires estimate they need more than $600,000 on average above their insurance payouts to rebuild their homes, according to a new survey from the advocacy group Department of Angels — and their temporary housing insurance is running out. Gov. Newsom has proposed a $100 million fund to advance rebuilding by buying down interest rates and guaranteeing construction loans for higher-risk borrowers.
Department of Angels: Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report
Los Angeles Times: Nearly half of L.A. fire survivors face crisis as temporary housing funds dry up, survey finds
“Total-loss homeowners in Altadena estimate they will be short about $550,000 even after insurance payments, while in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, residents estimate the gap will be around $1.19 million and $1.73 million, respectively.”
Los Angeles Times: Newsom to propose fund to help California wildfire victims rebuild
4/ CANDIDATES RESPOND TO REFORMERS’ ROADMAP: Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog is pressing California Insurance Commissioner candidates on the actions they would take to improve insurance access and affordability, in light of the priorities set out in the “Blueprint to A.C.T,” an expert-backed roadmap for reform.
Consumer Watchdog: CA Insurance Commissioner Candidates Respond to Questions on Insurance Access, Claims and Climate Response
Meanwhile, one candidate, Jane Kim, is getting attention for her proposal to create a public "single-payer" natural disaster insurance system like New Zealand’s.
The American Prospect: The Candidate Pitching Single-Payer—for Disaster Insurance
5/ COLORADO PASSES RESILIENCE BILL: Colorado lawmakers passed a bill to lower homeowners insurance premiums by subsidizing hail-resistant roofs. Home insurance premiums there have more than doubled between 2018 and 2023, making Colorado the sixth-costliest state for homeowners insurance. The bill, a slimmed-down version of one that failed last session, assesses fees to insurers to cover roof grants, and could generate up to $100 million over five years.
Vail Daily: Colorado lawmakers approve plan to lower home insurance premiums with subsidies for hail-resistant roofs
Resources
Insurance Fairness Project: Polling – Voters Want Their Government to Address the Property Insurance Crisis
Public Citizen and the Revolving Door Project: Mapping the Home Insurance Crisis
Consumer Federation of America: Overburdened: The Dramatic Increase in Homeowners Insurance Premiums and its Impacts on American Homeowners
Brookings Institution:Homeowners insurance in an era of climate change
Consumer Federation of America and Climate and Community Institute: Penalized: The Hidden Cost of Credit Score in Homeowners Insurance Premiums
Americans for Financial Reform and Public Citizen: Rising Property Insurance Premiums: The Uneven Risks to Household and Systemic Financial Stability
Climate and Community Institute (CCI): Insurers of Last Resort: Why Today’s FAIR Plans Need a Redesign to Address the Home Insurance Crisis
Center for Climate Integrity: How Big Oil is Fueling the Insurance Crisis And Why State Policymakers Should Act
Dave Jones, Yale Law Journal: The Uninsurable Future: The Climate Threat to Property Insurance, and How to Stop It
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The Insurance Fairness Project is an information hub dedicated to offering insights into the home insurance crisis, exploring its drivers and highlighting solutions alongside issue experts and community advocates.
