Fire Insurance Crisis: What We’re Doing to Fight for You 🔥

Media
Jun 26
2 min read

Thank you to everyone who joined us for last week’s Town Hall on the fire insurance crisis. If you missed it, you can watch the full presentation here.

Let me be clear: Fire insurance has become one of the most urgent issues facing homeowners in Southern California—and it’s probably the number one topic my office hears about every single week.

Families are being dropped from coverage, forced onto the expensive FAIR Plan, or seeing premiums skyrocket to unaffordable levels. In some cases, homeowners can’t even find coverage at all.

This situation is completely unacceptable. And while the authority to regulate insurance lies with the State of California, I want you to know that I’m not sitting on the sidelines.

Here’s what you need to know:

The system is broken. Years of inaction, overregulation, and lack of reform have left too many homeowners behind.
Californians are already struggling with the cost of living—and fire insurance is just one more burden pricing people out of our state.
I will continue to advocate for meaningful reforms, push state leaders to act, and explore every local solution available to provide relief.

While fire insurance is regulated at the state level, I'm doing what I can here in San Diego County. For example, I initiated a program for residents in the County of San Diego Fire Protection District to help lighten the cost burden. At the homeowner’s request, County Fire Department staff can visit and provide a home assessment with fire hardening recommendations—steps that may reduce insurance costs and better protect your property.

Oceanside Fire Department members pose with Supervisor Jim Desmond | Credit: Unknown

This program doesn’t solve the statewide insurance crisis—but it’s a step in the right direction, and a practical action we can take at the local level.

This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s about protecting families, seniors, and our communities from being priced out of their homes.

The status quo is not sustainable—and I’m going to keep doing everything I can to make fire insurance more available and more affordable for San Diegans.

If you have questions or would like to share your experience, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. Your voice matters, and it helps us fight for the change we all know is needed.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond | June 25, 2025

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