California homeowners dealing with wildfire smoke damage could soon have stronger protections, even if their homes never burned. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a package of wildfire-recovery laws that establishes the nation's first statewide standards for smoke-damage testing, cleanup and insurance coverage.
The new laws aim to reduce disputes between homeowners and insurers by creating a legal presumption that smoke contamination in wildfire zones came from the fire. The package also requires coverage for qualifying testing and remediation and expands mortgage-forbearance protections for disaster survivors.
In this video, we break down what homeowners can claim, what records they should save, how the new rules affect current and future fire claims,
and what to know before the laws take effect Jan. 1.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California sets first statewide smoke-damage insurance rules
