加州《灾后恢复改革法》已签署成法：灾后理赔罚款翻倍，2027年生效
加利福尼亚州保险厅9月28日宣布，州长 Gavin Newsom 已签署第876号参议院法案（SB 876）《灾后恢复改革法》（Disaster Recovery Reform Act），为在野火等重大灾害后重建家园的房主与租客建立一套新的消费者保护规则。该法由保险厅厅长 Ricardo Lara 发起、参议院保险委员会主席 Steve Padilla 撰写，保险厅称其为加州三十多年来对理赔处理法规最全面的一次更新。
新法要求保险公司预先提交「灾后恢复计划」，载明灾害发生后如何处理理赔并满足处理时限，计划须经保险厅审查，紧急状态下即时生效。宣布紧急状态期间，违反公平理赔规则的罚款提高一倍；保险公司若有不公平理赔行为，须直接向保户支付赔偿金。
针对多名理赔员轮换导致拖延的问题，新法要求保险公司每次更换理赔员后15天内向保户发送进度报告。新法还要求保险公司在签发保单时必须提供至少相当于保额一定比例的延长重置成本保障与额外生活费用保障，并定期更新重置成本估算；建筑规范升级保障按重建时而非损失时的标准计算。
厅长 Lara 表示：「今天我们要告诉每一位讲述过自己经历的野火幸存者：我们听到了你们的声音，而它现在已经成为法律。任何失去一切的家庭，都不应该再为拿回自己付费购买的保障而与保险公司抗争。」参议员 Padilla 说：「灾难来临时，家庭不应该在理赔程序中再遭遇第二场灾难。」
保险厅表示，该厅审查洛杉矶野火幸存者2,000多宗投诉后，已为保户追回逾3.38亿美元额外赔款，其中逾5,000万美元与烟熏损害有关。州长此前还签署了由 Lara 发起的《烟熏损害恢复法》（AB 1795）。保险厅表示，SB 876 将于2027年1月1日生效。
（来源：加州保险厅）
California Disaster Recovery Reform Act Signed Into Law: Doubled Claim Penalties Take Effect in 2027
The California Department of Insurance announced on September 28 that Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 876, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, a far-reaching set of consumer protections for homeowners and renters recovering from wildfires and other major disasters. Sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and authored by Senate Insurance Committee Chair Steve Padilla, the law is the most comprehensive update to California's claims-handling laws in more than 30 years, according to the department.
The law requires insurers to file a disaster recovery plan with the department in advance, setting out how claims will be handled and timelines met once an emergency is declared. Penalties for violations of fair claims practices during a declared emergency are doubled, and insurers that engage in unfair claims settlement practices must pay restitution directly to policyholders.
To address delays caused by rotating adjusters, the law requires insurers to send policyholders a status report within 15 days whenever a new adjuster is assigned. Insurers must also offer extended replacement cost coverage and additional living expenses coverage when a policy is written, provide regularly updated replacement cost estimates, and apply building code upgrade coverage at the time of rebuild rather than the time of loss.
"Today we are telling every wildfire survivor who shared their story: We heard you, and now it's the law," Commissioner Lara said. "No family who has lost everything should have to fight their insurance company to get the benefits they paid for." Senator Padilla said: "When disaster strikes, families shouldn't have to face a second disaster in the claims process."
The department said its review of more than 2,000 complaints from Los Angeles wildfire survivors has already produced more than $338 million in additional payments to policyholders, including more than $50 million related to smoke damage. Governor Newsom also signed the Lara-sponsored Smoke Damage Recovery Act (AB 1795). The department said SB 876 takes effect January 1, 2027.
(Source: California Department of Insurance)
来源：加州保险厅
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：加州保险厅厅长 Ricardo Lara 官方肖像。 Official portrait of California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Public domain，摄影：加州政府 State of California。图片来源 Source image: https://www.insurance.ca.gov
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