Homeowners Face Skyrocketing Costs For Insurance After Wildfires

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Many Californians have seen the cost of their homeowner's insurance skyrocket following last year's Camp Fire.

Today, homeowners and members of the real estate industry gathered at the state capitol to demand that lawmakers deal with what they're calling an emergency situation.

They say people whose homes didn't burn down are now being hit with devastating insurance premiums.

"Some people we've seen go from paying $1,200 a month for their insurance for years, have never made claims, and now are all of a sudden faced with having to pay $6,000-$8,000 a month just to insure their homes," Lauren Hernandez, with the El Dorado County Democratic Patry, said.

She says at least one home in El Dorado County has gone into foreclosure because of the rising cost of insurance.

The group wants lawmakers to restructure how insurance companies are allowed to assess fire risk and to give the state's insurance commissioner the authority to take action.