Below is a summary of key bills tracked by PIFC during this legislative session. While some were signed into law, others did not advance. However, as this is the first year of the two-year session, those bills may still be considered in 2026 as “two-year bills.”
The California Safe Homes Act (AB 888, Assembly Member Lisa Calderon) – The act would establish a program within California Department of Insurance (CDI) to support qualifying residents in obtaining new or replacement fire-safe roofs, clearing the first five feet around their home, and projects that improve communitywide mitigation to reduce the risk of losses caused by wildfires. AB 888 would also establish the Sustainable Insurance Account within the Insurance Fund, which would be available to the CDI upon appropriation by the Legislature to support the grant program envisioned by the bill.
Position: Support
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
Click Here to View the Industry Support Letter.
The Business Insurance Protection Act (SB 547, Senators Sasha Renée Pérez and Susan Rubio) – Would broaden the existing one-year insurance nonrenewal moratorium established by The Wildfire Safety and Recovery Act of 2018 (SB 824, Lara) to include commercial policies, covering businesses, homeowners’ associations (HOAs), condominiums, affordable housing units, and non-profits.
Position: Neutral
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
The Insurance Payment Protection Act (AB 597, Assembly Member John Harabedian) - Would strengthen consumer protections by ensuring transparency and fairness in public adjusters’ agreements, particularly for wildfire victims and other disaster-affected policyholders.
Position: Support
Outcome: 2-Year bill.
Click Here to view the PIFC support Letter.
Eliminate “The List” Act (SB 495, Senator Ben Allen) – Extensive lobbying and clarifying amendments allowed PIFC to move to Neutral on this bill. Amendments included reducing the time for policyholders to submit proof of loss from 180 to 100 days (current law: 60 days). Shortening the good cause extension period from 6 months to 100 days. Changing the requirement for insurers to offer to pay 100 percent of the personal property policy coverage (Coverage C) limit without an itemized claim to instead pay 60% of Coverage C (current law: pay 30% of Coverage A). It also raises the current payment cap, without an inventory, from $250,000 to $350,000 and authorizes insurers to require a signed attestation form from policyholders.
These changes improved the bill by addressing serious concerns about fraudulent overpayments that would increase the cost of insurance for Californians.
Position: Neutral
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
Click Here to View the Industry Removal of Opposition Letter.
The California Community Fire Hardening Commission Act (SB 616, Senators Susan Rubio, Dave Cortese, and Henry Stern) – Proposes the creation of an independent statewide commission within the Department of Insurance. This commission is designed to develop new wildfire community hardening standards to reduce fire risk and improve access to fire insurance. The bill would require the commission to make recommendations to the Insurance Commissioner, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and would require the commission to consult with specified stakeholders, including those from the insurance industry. It also requires CDI, in consultation with the commission, to develop guidelines for state and local agencies to aggregate and make available data related to wildfire risk for purposes of a data sharing platform.
Position: Neutral
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
The Deceptive Disaster Relief Advertising Act (AB 637, Assembly Member Heath Flora) – Requires that advertisements on social media, traditional broadcast media, and digital streaming platforms clearly display the statement: “This is a solicitation for business. Not affiliated with any government entity or non-profit.”
Position: Neutral
Outcome: 2-Year bill.
The California Wildfire Public Model Act (SB 429, Senator Dave Cortese) Establishes a public catastrophic model for wildfires to assist wildfire planning and enhance transparency.
Position: Neutral
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
The Insurance and Wildfire Safety Act (AB 1, Assembly Member Damon Connolly) - Builds on Commissioner Lara’s Safer from Wildfires regulation. The legislation requires future insurance commissioners to assess the need for updates to the regulation based on new fire science and public input.
Position: Support
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
Click Here to View the PIFC Support Letter.
The FAIR Plan Stability Act (AB 226, Assembly Members Lisa Calderon and David Alvarez) - Aims to strengthen consumer safeguards by allowing the FAIR Plan to access catastrophic bonds through the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank.
Position: Support
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
Click Here to View the PIFC Support Letter.
The Savings Accounts for Mitigation and Catastrophes Act (AB 232, Assembly Members Lisa Calderon and Mike Gipson) – Creates a tax-exempt savings account for consumers. This account allows them to set aside funds specifically for home hardening and insurance deductibles in the event of a disaster.
Position: Support
Outcome: 2-Year Bill.
Click Here to View the PIFC Support Letter.
The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act (SB 326, Senator Josh Becker) – Would create a planning structure to evaluate and guide the state’s effort to reduce the impacts of wildfire and increase the coordination of wildfire reduction efforts.
Position: Support
Outcome: Passed and sent to the Governor for signature.
Click Here to View the PIFC support Letter.
The Insurance Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2025 (SB 354, Senator Monique Limon) – SB 354 is an extensive overhaul of privacy and data laws in the insurance space. The goal of the bill is to increase the privacy protections to meet or exceed those in Prop 24.
Position: Oppose Unless Amended
Outcome: Though meaningful progress was made with the author’s office toward making the bill more workable, a final resolution was not reached. Due to the bill’s broad scope and its potential impact on both the industry and consumers, it failed to pass the Assembly Insurance Committee and is now a two-year bill. This allows the author’s office, CDI, and key stakeholders more time to refine the proposal, address outstanding concerns, and explore a path forward in the next legislative session.
Click Here to Read the Coalition Oppose Unless Amend Letter.
Residential property insurance images (AB 75, Assemblymember Lisa Calderon) – This bill requires admitted insurers to notify residential property policyholders if aerial images of their property are taken or obtained, unless the images are solely for evaluating a submitted or pending claim. Insurers must provide these images upon request and include instructions for how policyholders can request them. Additionally, insurers cannot use aerial images taken more than 180 days before issuing a termination notice as the basis for canceling coverage. If termination is based on an aerial image, the insurer must provide the image, notify the policyholder, and offer an opportunity to dispute its accuracy or show that any issues have been resolved before the termination takes effect.
Position: Neutral
Outcome: After extensive discussions with the author and committee staff, PIFC was able to come to a neutral position on the bill. However, the bill was held in Senate Appropriations Committee due to concerns from Senate Leadership that the bill did not confer enough protection to consumers. Given the landscape for it stalling we are almost guaranteed to be engaging on this issue again next year.
Click Here to Read the Industry Neutral letter for AB 75.
Unmanned aircraft (SB 260, Wahab) – SB 260 was similar to Assemblymember Calderon’s bill as it was introduced in that it required a 30-day prenotification to consumers before aerial imaging can be used, allows access to the photos, and creates requirements on insurers to delete images after a certain time, and establishes a remediation process.
Position: Oppose
Outcome: 2-Year bill. The author was engaged in active conversations with the industry to improve the bill. However, the bill failed to pass out of Senate Appropriations Committee.
