The California Department of Insurance published a press release announcing the formation of the Smoke Claims & Remediation Task Force, a subdivision within the Department of Insurance.
With the major wildfires California has faced recently, smoke damage claims have become more prevalent and more complex. The Task Force aims to create standards for insurance coverage and clean-up for smoke-related losses. California has not had standards for investigating and paying smoke damage claims, which has resulted in a lot of confusion and delays in the past.
The Task Force will unite many professionals, including public health experts, environmental health professionals, smoke remediation specialists, fire safety experts, and consumer advocates, to form science-based standards and best practices for smoke restoration.
The Task Force will create statewide standards for inspecting, testing, and remediating properties with smoke damage, and create standards for evaluating if a structure is safe for the health and safety of its residents. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is currently in the process of selecting Task Force members.
The press release can be found here.