William Brangham:
Holter says that’s because her insurance company, State Farm, dropped her policy last year. They cited the condition of her roof, something only her homeowners association could address.
It was part of a massive insurance retreat from this area. In 2023, State Farm, which is California’s largest insurer, said it wouldn’t write any new policies in the state. Then, last year, it declined to renew about 30,000 existing policies here, including over 1,600 in the Pacific Palisades.
The company said the rising cost of rebuilding and the risk of extreme weather was too great. But even for those who did have insurance, like Holter’s neighbors, Pam Nye and Chuck Foster, the fires have been devastating.
As a home, as a place, as a refuge, what was it like?