California Judge Slams State-Run FAIR Plan for Unlawful Smoke Damage Insurance Denials

In a significant legal blow to California’s state-managed home insurance program, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stuart M. Rice has ruled that the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan (FAIR Plan) unlawfully restricts coverage for wildfire smoke damage. This ruling could reshape wildfire insurance claims and highlights systemic failures in protecting homeowners amid escalating fire risks. The FAIR Plan, originally intended as a short-term safety net for homeowners dropped by private insurers, has ballooned into a default insurer for over half a million Californians — double the number insured since 2020. Yet its minimal coverage and high premiums reveal...