We need climate leadership to make California a more affordable place to live. When given the chance, State Senators Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley), Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento), Anna Caballero (D-Merced), Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), and Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) stood with Big Oil instead of us.
All of them refused to support SB 222, the Affordable Insurance and Climate Recovery Act. This is the only bill capable of protecting Californians from explosive insurance costs caused by wildfires, drought, floods, and landslides now striking our communities more frequently because of climate change caused by Big Oil’s greed and lies.
Insurance is essential but it can’t withstand the costs of runaway climate change and remain affordable. Three million Californians insured by State Farm are set to pay hundreds of dollars more to keep the insurance they already have. Without real reform, other insurers will inevitably follow, and California’s affordable housing crisis will only grow.
Contact your senator and tell them to take climate action to make California more affordable.
Seventy years ago, California’s biggest oil companies learned that their products were dangerous for our climate. To protect their massive profits, they deliberately buried the truth, using climate denial and public relations campaigns to mislead the public and avoid taking accountability for the destruction they caused.
Struggling with skyrocketing costs from climate disaster recovery, many insurers have pulled out of California. Millions of us have lost home insurance or faced rake hikes up to $10,000 just to keep the insurance we have. Without affordable insurance options, we cannot protect the lives we work so hard to build.
The January wildfires caused the nation’s costliest disaster, and a business-as-usual recovery won’t cut it. Recovery is just beginning, and Californians and insurers are already feeling the impact. After splitting a $1 billion bill to help the state’s insurer of last resort cover claims, the state’s largest insurer aims to hike rates 22% for homeowners, 15% for condo owners, and 38% for renters.
California Environmental Voters is focused on building the political power to solve the climate crisis, advancing justice, and creating a roadmap for global action. We are California’s voice, statewide and nationally, for bold climate action. We elect and cultivate environmental champions, turn election victories into policy wins, hold our lawmakers accountable, and build political power to transform our political system and achieve climate justice. Learn more about what we do.
We hope you can join us on Friday, May 31, 2024 in Los Angeles for an evening of music, drinks, and small bites at LA’s coolest party as we celebrate this year’s Badass in Green Honorees! Through April 26, we are running our Earth Week Special — buy one ticket, get another one free.