Los Angeles witnessed one of the most devastating disasters during the opening quarter of 2025. The historic Eaton Canyon and Palisades fires ravaged neighborhoods, destroyed family homes, and caused many to uproot their lives with nearly 40,000 acres of land burned. At the brink of the wildfires, some property owners had homeowners insurance and may not have had adequate coverage, while ohers may have not had coverage at all.
Almost three months after the wildfires, California government officials such as Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom have focused earnestly on fire relief efforts and programs to support victims’ recovery and rebuilding.
Fire insurance is typically included in standard homeowners insurance policies. Standard coverage consists of protection of one’s home from fire damage and includes personal belongings, costs of repairs and rebuilding, and detached structures such as fences, sheds, and gates outside of the home.
Robert Feldman is a fire insurance expert who is the co-founder, president, and CEO of WOWS Insurance Services with 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. He established WOWS Insurance Services last year after examining rates fluctuating and the insurance industry facing a downward spiral over the last 10 years. Common concerns that many may have when searching for coverage, especially after Los Angeles’ wildfires, include the future of homeowners insurance, the state’s new fire maps and their potential impact on insurance rates, property protection, and adequate home insurance coverage.
When speaking about the future of homeowners insurance, Feldman emphasized the importance of change and a collaborative approach between insurance companies and consumers.
“There needs to be a change because right now the insurance industry has been doing Einstein’s theory of insanity… doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We have been reorganizing how insurance works because the current insurance market is on the rise.”
He continued, “There are some under-evaluations [underpricing] for policies, especially in the larger home space. A lot of carriers are given too much saturation in [various] markets. The changes that need to occur are based on two things, diversification of risks and fire hardening… these are going to be the new [additions] that every program, including the WOWS programs, requires prior to buying an insurance policy.”
Fire hardening is the investment of certain materials and protocols that can help a person’s home become fire resistant to embers and wildfires. Feldman said that insurance agencies, consumers, and regulators will have to come together to ensure adequate insurance policy programs for customers. WOWS Insurance Services currently has 3,000 insurance brokers appointed.
Ryan Krupka is an insurance broker and CEO of Venture Casualty. Coming from a long line of insurance brokers, Ryan Krupka began his career in 2004 after his parents taught him the intricacies of navigating the insurance market with consumers. Venture Casualty currently works with 160 insurance companies and recommends that consumers stay up to date on the market for homeowners insurance, always compare rates for premiums, and gain an overall deeper understanding of the market.
“Insurance markets are sort of like a wave; they go up and go down. It’s called a soft market and a hard market. The days of a person having a set policy with a company for 20 years are [gone] for now.” He continued, “My recommendation to all of my clients is to always stay on top of [the market], set up an appointment with your broker, and shop once a year or every two years to stay current. A lot of companies are pulling out of California and are issuing non-renewals. There are a lot of companies that are also coming into California and offering policies. The pricing is all over the board, so it’s important to work with a broker to shop all of your options.”
Krupka shared a slogan he refers to as the three c’s—coverage, cost, and company — that consumers should utilize as they are on the hunt for the best homeowners insurance. “You want to make sure that the coverage, cost, and company… those three C’s are the best that you can find at that particular time because the market is fluid and all over the place. What is true today may not be true in two years.”
Krupka also hypothesized that the economy can have a possible influence on insurance premiums skyrocketing, as at times, the insurance market can be a reflection of the economy.
“One has to be insured for what they are at risk to lose. You want to make sure the reconstruction costs are equivalent to your insurance value. It’s important for the consumer to have the right coverage.”