DEVELOPMENT. >> EVERYTHING HERE AND SO MUCH MORE WAS GONE. >> LEONIE HIGGINS OF SANTA ROSA LOST HIS HOME IN COFFEY PARK IN THE TUBBS FIRE. HE'D BEEN LIVING THERE FOR 14 YEARS WHEN THE WILDFIRE DESTROYED HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. >> IT WIPED OUT COFFEY PARK. EVERYTHING WAS INCINERATED, AND HIGGINS REBUILT HIS HOME WITH HELP FROM INSURANCE. >> HOWEVER, SOME HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE STRUGGLED TO FIND COVERAGE BECAUSE COMPANIES HAVE STOPPED WRITING NEW HOMEOWNER POLICIES. IN MARCH, STATE FARM ANNOUNCED IT WOULD NOT RENEW 72,000 PROPERTY OWNER POLICIES IN CALIFORNIA. THREE INSURERS COVERING 40% OF CALIFORNIA HOMES HAVE EITHER PAUSED NEW POLICIES OR SET UP STRICT CAPS. NOW, ALLSTATE SAYS IT COULD START ISSUING HOMEOWNER POLICIES AGAIN IF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IMPLEMENTS SOME CHANGES. INSURANCE COMPANIES WANT TO BE ALLOWED TO USE COMPUTER PROGRAMS TO ESTIMATE FUTURE RISKS WHEN SEEKING PRICE INCREASES, REPRESENTATIVES CLAIM THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO PLAN FOR THREATS BASED ON CLIMATE CHANGE. ALLSTATE ISSUED THIS STATEMENT, WHICH READS IN PART, ONCE HOME INSURANCE RATES FULLY REFLECT THE COST OF PROVIDING PROTECTION TO CONSUMERS, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER HOME INSURANCE POLICIES TO MORE CALIFORNIANS WITH TIMELY RATE APPROVALS. HIGGINS THINKS IT COULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO STAY ON THE BOOKS. HOWEVER, CONSUMER WATCHDOG HARVEY ROSENFIELD SAYS. >> OTHERWISE, ALL STATE AND OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE PERMITTED TO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CALIFORNIA TO USE COMPUTER MODELS THAT ARE SECRET, THAT ARE BLACK BOX MODELS THAT CANNOT BE ASSESSED BY THE PUBLIC. IF THIS PROPOSAL GOES INTO EFFECT, PEOPLE'S RATES WILL GO THROUGH THE ROOF. >> WE ASKED THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE ABOUT THAT CLAIM. IT ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTING EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES, JUST RELYING ON WHAT WE DID IN THE PAST WON'T IMPROVE INSURANCE CHOICES FOR HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES. WE ARE BALANCING THE URGENT NEEDS OF HOMEOWNERS WITH A NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY. SURE THAT THERE'S DISASTER RESILIENCE . MEANWHILE, CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMAS AND JARED HUFFMAN TODAY ADDRESSED THE STATE'S GROWING PROPERTY INSURANCE CRISIS. THEY TALKED ABOUT NEW FEDERAL LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO SUPPORT HOMEOWNERS DEALING WITH WILDFIRES AND OTHER RISKS. IT'S ALL PART OF AN EFFORT TO HELP HOMEOWNERS PROTECT THEMSELVES AT A TIME WHEN THE THREAT OF FIRES IS REAL
