Kirk And Whitman Offer State Fire Insurance Proposal

Photo taken by: Tuolumne County Fire Dept.

Sonora, CA — Tuolumne County Supervisor Anaiah Kirk and Assessor-Recorder Kaenan Whitman have sent a proposal to California insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara.

It is in relation to the lengthening fire seasons and increasing cost of fire insurance. 

They propose that the California Fair Plan, the state sponsored fire insurance program of last resort, offer at least 20-percent discounts on premiums for customers in county’s that have their own fire tax or assessment.

For example, Measure V was defeated by voters this past June. The funding would have been designated for fire departments and prevention projects. Kirk and Whitman argue that their proposed change would provide more incentive for jurisdictions to self fund fire prevention efforts if it also means less money coming from residents for fire insurance.

They propose to initially fund the insurance premium decrease with state cap-and-trade funds as fires cause significant amounts of pollution and greenhouse gas.

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