California Insurance Commissioner: Kim Declares Victory

By Patrick Reitz

Fire Chief, Industry Consultant · Published November 06, 2026

Former San Francisco supervisor Jane Kim declared victory on Friday, November 6, in the race for California insurance commissioner. She will replace Ricardo Lara, who is term-limited. Nothing about your current policy changes today, but the result shapes how wildfire insurance is regulated for the next four years.

What happened

Kim declared her win at a Friday morning press conference. According to The Real Deal, with more than 64 percent of ballots counted, she had 52.7 percent to state Sen. Ben Allen's 47.3 percent, and the race had not yet been officially called. Allen, a fellow Democrat who represents Santa Monica, said in a statement that he had congratulated Kim and that "it appears that she has won."

The two advanced from the June primary, the first time two Democrats have faced off for the office in a general election. The winner takes office early next year, replacing Lara, whose term expires at the end of 2026, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Final certified results will come after counting finishes, so treat the margin as provisional.

What Kim has proposed

Kim's signature idea is a public, nonprofit disaster insurance program that would move wildfire coverage for existing homes out of private homeowners policies. Reporting from the Insurance Business and Stanford researchers quoted by The Hill describes participation as mandatory, with coverage capped at the cost to rebuild a typical California home and higher-value homes buying extra private coverage above that.

That plan would need legislative approval. Insurance Business reported that brokers see it as a proposal rather than an operating alternative for arranging renewals, and critics including consumer advocate Jamie Court have warned of risk to the state. Supporters say pooling risk statewide and investing premiums in prevention would lower costs over time.

Several of Kim's other proposals sit within the commissioner's own authority. According to Insurance Business, she would penalize claim delays, freeze rates after a policyholder files a claim, publish an insurer performance dashboard and set a minimum discount for mitigation. For the FAIR Plan, she wants open board meetings and voting members who represent the public.

Where the market stands today

The transition lands in the middle of a recovery that is real but fragile. The California FAIR Plan raised rates by an average of 29.1 percent for new and renewing policies on October 15, according to CBS News. The Department of Insurance reported on October 29 that the plan added just 2,200 policies between July and September, its slowest growth since 2022, and that twelve homeowners insurers, including seven of the state's ten largest, had committed to staying and growing, per Insurance Business.

State Farm General and Allstate have each filed plans to resume writing new homeowners policies, the Department of Insurance said on September 18. Neither is accepting new business yet, and both filings remain under review. State Farm's filing ties eligibility to IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designations: the enhanced level could qualify a home anywhere in the state, while the base level would be subject to geographic and risk limits.

These returns came through Lara's Sustainable Insurance Strategy. Under it, carriers can use catastrophe models and reinsurance costs in rate filings if they commit to writing in wildfire-distressed areas. Kim has criticized the strategy as currently structured, arguing in a primary questionnaire that insurers have kept dropping high-risk customers. Allen had supported building on it. Industry groups, including the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, congratulated Kim and said they want to work with her.

What is uncertain

Whether carriers keep their expansion commitments under a new commissioner is an open question, and so is what a tougher approach to rate filings would do to pricing. Nobody can say yet. A statewide public program is a long way off at best, and it is not something your carrier or any contractor can plan around this winter.

The Tahoe note: the commissioner regulates California insurance only. Nevada homeowners fall under the Nevada Division of Insurance, so this result does not directly change Nevada rules. If you own on the California side of the lake, it applies to you.

What this means for your home

The practical takeaway is to keep doing what carriers already reward and to keep proof of it. Both candidates, and both versions of the state's strategy, point toward mitigation counting for more, not less. Your carrier sets final pricing, and Wetline cannot promise any discount, but documentation is what gives you a chance at one.

1. Do not cancel or switch coverage on speculation. Keep your current policy in force until you have a firm quote in hand. If you are on the FAIR Plan, read our FAIR Plan guide and shop the standard market once a year.
2. Pursue a recognized designation. State Farm's filing leans on IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home, and our guide to the Wildfire Prepared Home program explains the tiers. Also check whether your address is in the state's Safer from Wildfires framework.
3. Keep a mitigation file. Dated photos, invoices, product spec sheets and inspection reports for vents, roofing, windows, defensible space and any sprinkler or coating work. Update it every season.
4. Fix the basics first. Ember-resistant vents, clean gutters and a clear five-foot zone do more to reduce ember risk than most upgrades. Our Zone 0 guide covers the steps.
5. Get a baseline. A free home hardening assessment shows what is worth doing, and the Find Savings tool helps you see which documented upgrades your carrier may recognize. Questions can go to info@wetlinedefense.com.
6. Watch for the next steps. Expect transition announcements from the Department of Insurance, a decision on the State Farm and Allstate filings, and any legislation Kim's team sponsors in the new year.

Frequently asked questions

Does Jane Kim's win change my homeowners policy right now?

No. Lara remains commissioner until his term ends, and your policy terms, renewal dates and rates are unchanged. Any new regulations or legislation would take months to develop.

Is the FAIR Plan going away under the new commissioner?

There is no sign of that. Kim has proposed changes to the FAIR Plan's governance and transparency, and a separate public disaster program would need legislative approval. For now the FAIR Plan remains the insurer of last resort, with the 29.1 percent average increase already in effect.

Will home hardening still matter for insurance?

Yes. Carriers returning to the market, including State Farm in its filing, are tying eligibility to IBHS designations, and Kim has proposed a minimum mitigation discount. Whether any discount applies is up to your carrier, but documented work is what makes you eligible to ask.

Sources

• Jane Kim declares victory in close race with real estate's choice for CA insurance commissioner (The Real Deal)
• Jane Kim wins race to be California's next insurance commissioner
• Jane Kim declares victory over Ben Allen in insurance commissioner race (SF Standard)
• Kim Declares Victory in California Insurance Commissioner Race (Insurance Journal)
• Jane Kim declares victory in commissioner race (CalMatters/LAist)
• As Kim leads commissioner race, California brokers warn of uncertainty over insurers' return (Insurance Business)
• California insurance commissioner race pits market fixes against a public disaster insurer (Insurance Business)
• Jane Kim's plan to remake California insurance draws fire as FAIR Plan increase nears (Insurance Business)
• Major California home insurers move to reopen for new business (California Department of Insurance)
• California FAIR Plan rates jump nearly 30% as homeowners seek wildfire insurance alternatives (CBS News)
• California insurance commissioner election: Kim and Allen running close (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Jane Kim, California insurance commissioner candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire
• Jane Kim's insurance plan is 'bold.' Experts weigh in on if it could work (The Hill)

This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Your carrier sets final pricing and eligibility.