The Press Democrat: PD Editorial- The heartbreaking reason why many victims won’t rebuild

For many homeowners, the full extent of the devastation from the October fires is still unfolding — on their calculators.

The number of people in Sonoma County who lost their homes and were underinsured or uninsured has exceeded the fears of many local leaders and even some industry experts. A survey by San Francisco-based consumer group United Policyholders shows nearly 70 percent of local fire victims believe they do not have enough insurance to rebuild their homes. 

The second is SB 1263 by state Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-Glendale, which would automatically ratchet up the coverage limits to 150 percent of the policy in the event of a widespread catastrophic event, such as the North Bay fires, that results in a declared state of emergency. This would protect homeowners from being caught with a coverage gap created primarily because of cost inflation resulting from a shortage of materials and labor for large-sized disasters.

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