LA Wildfire Survivors Battle Insurers Over Toxic Contamination Claims
Following the Eaton wildfire, Los Angeles residents whose homes survived faced unexpected challenges. Many worried about toxic contamination from smoke and struggled to get insurers to cover testing for lead, asbestos, and heavy metals, despite a California bulletin mandating investigation of smoke damage claims. A residents’ group, Eaton Fire Residents United, compiled testing data revealing elevated lead levels in all 81 homes tested, prompting some insurers to reconsider. This highlights gaps in insurance coverage and a lack of government intervention, leaving residents to privately fund testing and remediation, underscoring the need for clearer policy and standardized testing procedures for wildfire-related contamination.
John Q. Hosedrinker