Smoke & Mirrors

A rare glimpse into the widespread, but hidden practice of insurers quietly altering wildfire home cleanup estimates before presenting final payouts to policyholders. In many cases, policyholders only see the final, reduced version without knowing about insurance company redlines. But by mere accident, policyholders are finding out what’s happening behind the scenes. We explore some new legislative solutions to the troubling practices by major insurance companies that are leaving wildfire survivors underpaid, exposed to toxic contamination, and trapped in months of delays. Guests: Justin Kloczko,  host  Rossana Valverde, Altadena fire survivor Claire Thompson, Altadena fire survivor Sasha Renée Pérez, California State Senator

We explore a recent investigative story by the New York Times about how industry-favored loopholes crafted behind closed doors at the California Department of Insurance have undermined fire recovery, and how Los Angeles fire survivors are now calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to ask Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to resign.  Guests: Branislav Kecman, Altadena fire survivor Jill Spivack, Pacific Palisades, fire survivor Zaire Calvin, Altadena fire survivor Joy Chen, executive director, Eaton Fire Survivors Network Carmen Balber, executive director, Consumer Watchdog Jo Becker, reporter, New York Times

In this episode we examine how technology has increasingly taken over every aspect of our home insurance policies, from the algorithm that decides how much insurance we need when we sign up, to the algorithm that determines what it'll cost to rebuild after a disaster, to the ones that set your fire risk score and decide how much companies get to charge for future disasters. The data that feeds this technology is often incorrect and always hidden from public view. And there is a big company behind it: Verisk.  Guests: Barbara Holub, Marshall Fire survivor  Bill May, Palisades Fire survivor  Thomas Loeser, attorney Harvey Rosenfield, Consumer Watchdog founder Ben Armstrong, Actuary Dave Cortese, California state senator

There are many planets in the insurance claims galaxy. Once you file a claim, in come industrial hygienists to perform testing, and remediation companies to do clean up. Many only work for insurance companies. There are high-end consultants who are brought in and downplay the damage, and contractors that use fancy language to dress up all the work they don’t do. But too often, they are instruments to underpay and under clean homes. Stay with us as we pull the curtain back. Guests: Dylan Schaffer, attorney Jesse Morrow, Altadena fire survivor  Karen Girard, Altadena fire survivor  Dawn Bolstad-Johnson, industrial hygienist  Jenny Kampmeier, Altadena fire survivor Links ConsumerWatchdog.org/SmokeAndMirrors

Smoke damage has become a major issue for wildfire victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires. In this episode, we go present a tip guide for policyholders on getting smoke damage claims paid from those who know best: folks who have gone through it. You’ll be hearing from fire survivors who have fought and won, public adjusters who seek to get claims paid on behalf of policyholders, attorneys who litigate in court against insurance companies, and experts in toxins and testing. You’ll hear from: Fire Survivors who fought back and successfully claimed compensation Public Adjusters who advocate for homeowners Attorneys who litigate against insurance companies Environmental & Toxin Experts who test for smoke contamination Whether you’re filing a new claim, appealing a denial, or preparing your home for inspection, this episode provides a practical roadmap to maximize your insurance recovery. Guests: Justin Kloczko, Dylan Schaffer, Dawn Bolstad-Johnson, Wendy Davis, Tim McCune Links  https://consumerwatchdog.org/smokeandmirrors