Supervisor asks state insurance commissioner for answers at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting

Lassen County District 5 Supervisors Jason Ingram wants answers from the state regarding fire insurance for Lassen County residents.

According to the agenda of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors meeting for tomorrow, Tuesday, July 18, the California Department of Insurance will make an electronic presentation from 10:15 to 10:30 a.m. Ingram said he hoped the department could take some questions, but he said there isn’t much time for that.

At the center of Ingram’s concerns is the State Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones map for Lassen County.

Ingram says homeowners have had their fire insurance cancelled, and some companies have even pulled out of Lassen County altogether.

The maps are not intended for use by insurance companies, but fire personnel acknowledge the companies may use these maps to help determine their rates anyway.

“Basically, we have the state Department of Insurance addressing the board at a 10:15 a.m. time certain on Tuesday,” Ingram said.

According to Ingram many communities in Lassen County have come together with the Fire Safe Councils and completed many Fire Safe projects and that work at reducing the fire risk is not reflected in the map. He said CalFire need to take those activities into consideration and return those areas to a more moderate level of risk.