Dumped onto the FAIR Plan: Your Coverage Gaps, Rights & Potential Claims
If I was pushed onto the FAIR Plan before the fire and now have a coverage gap, who may be responsible?
Some survivors entered January 7 already vulnerable.
Their previous insurer had nonrenewed them. They ended up on the FAIR Plan. Only after losing their home did they discover what their new coverage did and did not include.
We’ll explain nonrenewals, notice rules, moratoriums, FAIR Plan coverage, Difference in Conditions coverage, and current renewal protections.
Then we’ll examine responsibility.
Was the nonrenewal proper? Were you adequately informed about the coverage you were losing? Should an agent or broker have obtained or advised you about additional coverage?
Presenters:
Renee Callantine, Corner Law
Dylan Schaffer, Kerley Schaffer
Ask the Lawyers: What Do I Need to Do Now?
After everything I’ve learned, what do I need to do about my claim?
This session belongs to survivors.
We’ll start with a short recap of the major deadlines. Then we open the floor.
Do I potentially have a case? How do I know whether it’s worth pursuing? When should I talk to a lawyer? How do I find the right one? What should I bring to an initial consultation? How do contingency fees work? Can I file a lawsuit and keep negotiating? What if I’m not ready to sue?
Bring the questions you still need answered.
Presenters:
James Lee, Raizner Lee Law
Michael Bidart, Shernoff Bidart Echeverria
Edison Compensation Program or Litigation? Know Your Rights, Deadlines and Choices
Special Beat the Clock session for Eaton Fire survivors
Eaton Fire survivors are being flooded with mailers, social ads and billboards from Edison urging us to sign up for its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program (WRCP) by November 30. How do we evaluate the WRCP versus litigation? And how do we choose what’s right for our families?
Join two of the three court-appointed liaison counsel coordinating the work of hundreds of lawyers representing individual Eaton Fire plaintiffs. They’ll share the latest developments from that day’s court hearing, just hours before our session, and answer your questions:
What compensation could you receive through the WRCP versus litigation?
What rights could you give up, what deadlines apply, and when does your choice become final?
How soon could you get paid, and what could you pay in legal fees?
What happens if you disagree with Edison’s offer?
How could the bellwether test cases affect settlements and payment timelines?
Panelists:
Jerry Singleton, Singleton Schreiber
Amanda Riddle, Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle LLP
Bring your questions. Get the information you need to choose what’s right for your family.
Underinsurance: What Are You Still Owed, and Who May Be Responsible?
Are you underinsured? Yep, join the crowd.
Most of us assume it’s our own fault. But that may not be true.
In this webinar, the Honorable Dave Jones, California Insurance Commissioner Emeritus, will share how he fought all the way to the California Supreme Court to protect a landmark regulation on replacement-cost estimates. The rule sets standards for insurers’ estimates of the complete cost of rebuilding a home. What could that mean for you?
Policyholder attorneys will explain potential claims against insurers, agents and brokers. You’ll learn which records to find now and whether you may have a potential underinsurance claim.
Presenters:
California Insurance Commissioner Emeritus Dave Jones
Renee Callantine, Corner Law
Michael Bidart, Shernoff Bidart Echeverria
Register here: https://events.zoom.us/e/view/eOfPClt0SuWg1oJcwYeLdA/purchase
Bad Faith: When Your Insurer Delays, Lowballs or Denies
Is this simply a frustrating insurance claim, or might I have grounds for legal action?
Months pass. Adjusters change. Documents disappear into a black hole. Estimates bear little resemblance to what rebuilding actually costs.
When is that simply an awful claims experience, and when might it have legal significance?
Policyholder attorneys Michelle Myers of Singleton Schreiber, Dylan Schaffer of Kerley Schaffer and Kevin Pollack of Abir Cohen Treyzon Salo will explain the insurer’s duty of good faith and fair dealing and examine delays, low estimates, changing adjusters, ignored evidence, denials, and potential violations of California claims-handling rules.
We’ll also discuss what you can do now to build a record of what has happened, including written communications, documentation, and a claim diary.
Please invite survivor friends to join!
Our zoom room holds 1,000, and if it fills, additional viewers will be directed to a Youtube livestream.
Know your rights. Know your Deadlines. Help a survivor know theirs.
Register here: efsurvivors.net/beat-the-clock
Taxes: Casualty Losses, New Federal Relief and Surviving an IRS Audit
Could your fire losses qualify you for a major income tax deduction?
Even if you already filed your 2024 federal income tax return, you may be able to amend it to claim a fire loss, or defer a taxable gain.
But you may need to act by October 15.
Do you qualify? What if your insurance claim is still unresolved?
This Thursday, October 8, from 7–8 PM, CPAs Blake Christian and John Trapani will help us understand our tax options.
Register now: https://www.efsurvivors.net/beat-the-clock
Please share with every survivor and survivor group who could use a tax break. They might qualify!
L.A. Fire Survivor Insurance Survey: Information + Q&A Session
Have questions about the L.A. Fire Survivor Insurance Survey? Bring them. Join Every Fire Survivor's Network for a 30-minute Zoom information and Q&A session about the survey and how we’re turning survivor experiences into evidence that can help move insurance dollars and get families home.
Joy Chen will be joined by UCLA researcher Gabriella Carmona and survey consultant Aimery Thomas to answer questions about the research, privacy protections, who we’re reaching, how the data will be used, and what we can and cannot share while the survey is still underway.
We’ll also discuss how the de-identified, aggregated data will be made publicly available so survivors, journalists, policymakers, law enforcement, researchers, community organizations and others can use it to identify patterns and drive accountability and change.
Your identity stays private. The patterns become public. Bring your questions.
Rally for Recovery
Join us for Rally for Recovery, a city-sized community gathering where Eaton and Palisades fire survivors, families, pro athletes, celebrities, business leaders and neighbors come together for a day of play, joy, and connection.
It's Year Two of recovery. The cameras have moved o, but thousands of families are still rebuilding, still displaced, still finding their way forward. Rally for Recovery keeps survivors visible, connected, and moving forward.
Hosted across 34 pickleball courts at iPickle in Arcadia, the event brings together 800 to 1,000 attendees for pro-led beginner clinics, live music, food trucks and a high-energy Center Court experience. No pickleball experience required. You don't even have to play, just come to connect.
Your participation helps sustain critical recovery resources, restore community connection, and ensure Los Angeles families have the support they need to rebuild.
Because recovery is still underway. And Los Angeles takes care of its own.
Buy tickets and become a sponsor here.
The Resilient Rebuild: How to build a home that's safer, stronger, and more insurable
A free EFSN webinar for Eaton and Palisades fire survivors.
If you're rebuilding, you're probably wrestling with questions none of us ever expected to ask:
• How do I make my home more fire resistant?
• Which upgrades actually matter?
• What can I do today to improve my chances of getting insurance tomorrow?
• How do I rebuild without breaking the bank?
Join EFSN for a practical conversation with leading resilience experts, architects, builders, and fellow survivors about how to rebuild safer and smarter. Using the newly released Rebuilding with Resilience guide as a starting point, we'll explore the design choices, materials, landscaping strategies, and home-hardening measures that can reduce wildfire risk while protecting your investment for years to come.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NuTJhR9IR6iAkNivR-t9Ng
Legal Strategies Survivors Need to Know
If your insurance company doesn't cover or will not pay what it actually costs to rebuild or remediate, you are not alone.
This is your chance to hear from two attorneys who are actively litigating the legal frontiers of wildfire underinsurance.
Join EFSN for an interactive conversation with two of California's most active litigators in wildfire insurance accountability.
Michelle Meyers | Partner, Singleton Schreiber
Michelle Meyers leads landmark class action lawsuits against major insurers and has taken insurance bad faith cases to jury verdict, actively shaping policyholder rights after the January 2025 fires.
Brianna Strange | Partner, Strange LLP.
Brianna Strange selectively takes on class actions, mass torts, and individual cases against some of the world’s largest corporations. She currently focuses her practice on representing wildfire survivors against utility companies and insurance companies.
In conversation with Larry Midler, retired General Counsel of CBRE, and Palisades Fire survivor; and Claire Thompson, illustrator and Eaton Fire survivor.
Come with your questions. We will reserve lots of time for live Q&A.
We have 1,000 seats. All Eaton and Palisades survivors facing an insurance gap are warmly welcome. Forward this to friends, neighbors, and anyone in your network who needs to hear it.
UNDERINSURED: Know Your Rights. Take Action Now.
If your insurer's estimate doesn't cover what it actually costs to rebuild, you are not alone and you are not without recourse. California law gives you rights that insurers count on you not knowing.
This is your chance to hear them directly from the people who wrote and fought for those laws, and the attorneys who have litigated them.
Join EFSN for an interactive conversation with two of California's foremost experts on insurance accountability.
Dave Jones | California Insurance Commissioner, Emeritus (2011–2019)
As California Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones won a landmark 7-0 victory at the California Supreme Court requiring insurers' replacement cost estimates to reflect the complete cost of rebuilding your home. That regulation is California law today and it is the foundation of your rights as a policyholder.
Michael J. Bidart | Partner, Shernoff Bidart Echeverria
Michael Bidart has litigated insurance bad faith cases at the highest levels of California's courts for decades, with a record of landmark decisions that define what insurers are legally required to do.
In conversation with Joy Chen, Executive Director of EFSN and Eaton Fire survivor, and Larry Midler, retired General Counsel of CBRE, EFSN Advisory Council Chair, and Palisades Fire survivor.
Come with your questions. We will reserve lots of time for live Q&A. We have 1,000 seats.
All Eaton and Palisades survivors facing an insurance gap are warmly welcome. Forward this to friends, neighbors, and anyone in your network who needs to hear it.
Press Conference or Join the Livestream
Join us Thursday, June 18, at 8:30a. at Palisades High School
Everyone is welcome. Please share widely.
RSVP to attend: https://forms.gle/bD4Fv1Rn2uXAp7xi6
Read the Media Advisory here.
Media RSVP: https://forms.gle/RXkqqU7nTAnnbDQ8A
Join our press conference by livestream at 9:00 AM:
Inside the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigation Into California’s Insurance Crisis
Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Susie Neilson and Megan Fan Munce of the San Francisco Chronicle for a behind-the-scenes conversation about Burned, the groundbreaking investigation that exposed how major insurers systematically underinsured and underpaid Los Angeles wildfire survivors.
Their reporting earned the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting and helped shine a national spotlight on the insurance practices that have left so many families struggling to recover.
We'll discuss:
• What they uncovered about insurer conduct after the L.A. fires
• How hidden systems, algorithms, and claims practices reduced payouts to survivors
• What every wildfire survivor should know about underinsurance and claims handling
• What they're continuing to investigate as California's insurance crisis deepens
Hosted by Joy Chen, Executive Director of the Every Fire Survivor's Network.
Please invite survivor friends, neighbors, and community networks. All Eaton and Palisades survivors, as well as allies, are warmly welcome.
Register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MF3ydPMRTwa-kDWR648EPg
Getting Every Property Tax Break You're Owed With LA County Assessor Jeff Prang
FOR EATON AND PALISADES FIRE SURVIVORS
WEBINAR · THURS MAY 14 · 7-8 PM
Get Every Property Tax Break You Deserve with LA County Assessor Jeff Prang
• Lower your property taxes through Misfortune & Calamity claims
• Understand the 4-year tax deferral means for survivors
• What if you move, rebuild bigger, or already paid
Bring your questions for live Q&A
Seats 1,000 · Free and open to all
Secure your spot here.
Topic Spa for the Soul: The Virtual Emotional Wellness Gathering
Join us for a virtual gathering with Brian Stefan, LCSW, founder of the California Grief Center. We'll come together, make meaning of what you may have lost, and feel less alone in your grief. Using a blend of psychoeducation, facilitated discussion, and gentle experiential exercises, participants will have the opportunity to explore their grief in community rather than in isolation. No prior experience with therapy or group work is required -- only a willingness to show up.
Essential Tax Info for Survivors: Webinar 2 (Live Q&A)
Were you one of the 1,000 survivors who joined our first tax webinar with CPA John Trapani and left with more questions? One of the 700 who couldn’t get in due to room capacity? Or someone who heard how incredibly useful it was and wanted in for yourself?
Good news: John is back. Tax deadlines are approaching.
Small errors now can cost thousands later.
John is back for a focused, live Q&A designed to help you avoid costly mistakes and make informed decisions before you file.
This session builds directly on Webinar 1. Please watch (or rewatch) the first session before attending so you can make the most of this time.
We will organize the Q&A into these key areas:
• Tenants
• Partial-loss homeowners including smoke damage
• Total-loss homeowners
• Condo owners
• Small-business owners
Come prepared. Get clarity. Protect your recovery.
Watch Webinar 1, review slides and transcript here: https://www.efsurvivors.net/expert-resources
Submit your questions by 3:00pm on Thursday: https://docs.google.com/forms
Register for Thursday’s event now: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0r64UHZgTEWliEt8sgYvUA#/
Presented by Public Counsel and the Eaton Fire Survivors Network
Wildfire Recovery: Income Tax Reporting Responsibilities
If you lost your home or were displaced by the Eaton, Palisades, or Malibu fires, you likely have tax questions.
This session will address common survivor questions, including:
• Whether insurance proceeds are taxable, including ALE
• Disaster-related tax exclusions at the federal and state level
• Casualty loss versus involuntary conversion
• Rebuilding versus purchasing replacement property
• How capital gains exclusions may apply
• Timing, extensions, audits, and how settlements can affect taxes
• How decisions made now can quietly affect you years down the line
Join the Eaton Fire Survivors Network and Public Counsel, for a one-hour educational webinar focused on helping survivors understand what must be reported, what may be excluded, and how to avoid unintended tax consequences.
We strongly encourage you to submit questions in advance so the session reflects your needs.
Submit questions here:
https://forms.gle/cHy7Ckv5ndJzPkYM9
Register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8lnRr7w_TXq1v-DqL8WUjA#/registration
1,000-person Zoom. All Eaton, Palisades, and Malibu fire survivors are welcome. Please share with survivor friends and networks.
Spa for the Soul: Emotional Wellness Gathering by Zoom
It's a Spa for the Soul. Instead of massages and facials, you get to choose a session led by a leading emotional wellness provider. Mental health clinicians, art therapists, music therapists, and spiritual leaders will each host a breakout.
And unlike expensive spa treatments, this one is completely free for Eaton and Palisades survivors.
The 90-minute gathering begins with brief introductions so you can choose where you want to spend your time. Then you choose your own adventure.
We're grateful to the Trauma Resource Institute and the Eaton Fire Collaborative Emotional Wellness Cluster for leading this work.
All are welcome. Please extend this invitation to Spa for the Soul to all survivors in your life.
Sign up here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8_hCGxXwQe65BIYkPSnV3w#/registration
Virtual Town Hall with Senator Sasha Renée Pérez
Insurance delays and underpayments are not accidents. They are a business model. And right now, California law has deadlines and guidelines with no real consequences when insurers ignore them.
Join us for a powerful conversation with Senator Sasha Renée Pérez as she walks us through two new bills designed to fix the enforcement and transparency failures survivors are living with every day.
This is your chance to hear directly from the author of the bills, ask questions, and learn exactly how survivors and allies can help get them passed.
1,000-person Zoom town hall
Please invite survivor friends, neighbors, and networks. Momentum matters, and showing up together is how change happens.
Register now:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uQB093w8QY6rrfSY6QdZIg
Virtual Town Hall with Senator Sasha Renée Pérez
Insurance delays and underpayments are not accidents. They are a business model. And right now, California law has deadlines and guidelines with no real consequences when insurers ignore them.
Join us for a powerful conversation with Senator Sasha Renée Pérez as she walks us through two new bills designed to fix the enforcement and transparency failures survivors are living with every day.
SB 878 puts real consequences behind the law by adding automatic financial penalties when insurers miss legal deadlines for coverage decisions and payments.
SB 877 pulls back the curtain by requiring insurers to provide all original loss estimates and clearly explain every revision, so families can finally see what was removed from their claims behind closed doors.
This is your chance to hear directly from the author of the bills, ask questions, and learn exactly how survivors and allies can help get them passed.
1,000-person Zoom town hall
Please invite survivor friends, neighbors, and networks. Momentum matters, and showing up together is how change happens.
Register now: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uQB093w8QY6rrfSY6QdZIg
One-Year Survivor-Led Press Conference and Commemoration Ceremony
On January 7, we will come together as survivors to honor what we lost, name what this year has really been, and connect with one another.
Date: January 7
8:30-10:30 am: Survivor-led Press Conference: We’ll hold a press conference on the state of our recovery and the sources of funding required to move it forward in earnest: insurance, Edison, and the federal government. All survivors and allies are invited to come to connect and support.
10:30 am onward: Survivor-Only Commemoration: After the press conference, non-survivors will be asked to leave. Survivors will remain together for a sacred space of remembrance and connection, guided by Pastor Amara Ononiwu.
Together, we’ll assemble a commemorative Remembrance Altar. If you are comfortable, please bring a small item that represents this past year. You’ll take it home with you afterward.
Space is limited. Feel free to bring those you love. Location details will be shared with confirmed RSVPs.
Media: RSVP here: https://efsurvivorsnetwork.myflodesk.com/one-year-media
Everyone Else: RSVP here: https://efsurvivorsnetwork.myflodesk.com/one-year-anniversary
Healing Through the Holidays: A Wellness Gathering
For many recovering from the Eaton and Palisades fires, the holidays can stir up a wide mix of emotions. You deserve a space where you feel understood and supported as we head into the season.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness in the San Gabriel Valley and the Trauma Resource Institute, in partnership with the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, are hosting a wellness gathering created especially for survivors, families, and neighbors.
Our session will be led by Elaine Miller-Karas, Co-Founder of the Trauma Resource Institute and one of the world’s leading experts on trauma recovery. Elaine has helped communities heal in places ranging from Ukraine to New Orleans, and we are fortunate to have her guiding us.
You’ll learn simple, practical wellness tools and connect with people who know what you’ve been carrying. Breakout rooms will be led by professionals from NAMI SGV, the Trauma Resource Institute, AlterCareLine, Go Stars, Vintage Church Pasadena, and Clarissa Ramsey Studio.
All are welcome. Please invite friends, neighbors, and fellow Eaton and Palisades survivors.
Register now:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/lqpgiECYTTudBiE8leZdwg
Building Back Smarter: The Virtual Rebuilding Summit for Survivors
Join us for a free, one-day virtual event where top experts will share the information and guidance survivors need now to begin rebuilding. Get the clear answers and practical support you need in one focused day.
Learn more: https://www.efsurvivors.net/rebuilding-summit.
PUSD Schools: Safety, Budget, and Our Kids’ Future
Featuring PUSD President Jennifer Hall Lee and Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blankco.
Get answers on: campus safety, the budget shortfall, staff from closed schools, the roadmap for rebuilding.
Parent-moderated discussion. Your voice matters — ask your questions live.
Invite your parent friends and networks. All welcome!
🔗 Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5IcNS3_ASouWajZ_7aTcqA#/registration
Consumer Watchdog Live: Inside the Fight for Our Insurance Rights
Featuring Harvey Rosenfield (Founder), Carmen Balber (Executive Director), and Will Pletcher (Litigation Director), this event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the battle to protect California policyholders. We’ll cover the fight to freeze State Farm’s billion-dollar rate hike until they pay survivors what they owe, your rights under Prop 103 and how to use them, and strategies for holding regulators accountable for illegal delays and denials.
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fwS37UbSRne1kdfyDLo7UQ#/registration
SBA Disaster Loans for LA Fire Survivors
Join us for an essential webinar with SBA expert Corey Williams, who will provide an in-depth overview of the federal disaster loan program and answer your most pressing questions. This session is designed to give you the clarity and guidance you need to maximize your SBA loan.
First Friday Community Dinner
Every first Friday of the month, we’ll get together for a laid-back gathering—no agenda, no speakers—just time to relax, catch up with old friends, and connect with new ones who truly get it.
Navigating Recovery with AI for Smoke Damaged Homes
Join us to discover how AI tools can streamline insurance claim management in minutes, simplify complex reports and lab results into clear summaries that highlight crucial claim information, plus master AI-powered receipt organization that automatically formats expenses into insurer-ready spreadsheets. Andrew Wessles is a Eaton Fire Survivors Network volunteer and AI enthusiast.
AI for Total Loss
Join us to learn more about how you can simplify the personal property inventory process, better understand your insurance policy and prepare for conversations with your adjuster. With Andrew King and Joy Chen. Andrew King is a seasoned educator and former charter school principal with nearly two decades of experience advancing equity and student-centered leadership. After losing his home in the Eaton Fire, Andrew became deeply engaged in disaster recovery. He brings a focus on community resilience, adult learning, and trauma-informed recovery, centering joy and justice in every facet of his work.
EFSN Table Volunteer with Joy at Altadena Rebuild Tradeshow
Come join us at the Altadena Rebuild Tradeshow! With over 20 vendors sharing options for design, construction and financing, it’ll be a great chance to get info and resources for your rebuild. No RSVP needed to attend. While you’re there, come volunteer with Joy Chen for an hour to welcome fellow survivors to EFSN.
We're having trouble updating the website, but the correct event time is 12:00–4:00pm.
Sign up for your one-hour volunteer shift with Joy here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F094DAEAC2DA20-57662923-efsn
EFSN First Friday !
We’re launching a new First Fridays series!
Every first Friday of the month, we’ll get together for a laid-back dinner—no agenda, no speakers—just time to relax, catch up with old friends, and connect with new ones who truly get it.
Friday, August 1 @ 5:30–8:30 PM @ The Good Neighbor Bar
The oyster truck will be there with lobster, shellfish, and more. You’re welcome to grab food from the truck and drinks from GNB, or bring your own picnic dinner. Kids are welcome.
Sign up here: https://efsurvivorsnetwork.myflodesk.com/v0jn8vdkx6
6-Month Fire Anniversary: Survivor Press Conference & Postcard Party
Let’s Finally Connect in Person — and Take Action.
After all the grief and loss, it will be so good to finally gather in person for the first time. Please join us for this very special gathering.
We’ll connect, share hugs, hold a survivor-led press conference, and write postcards to hold insurers and government accountable.
Event Schedule
🕘 Survivors: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM — Postcard Party
Join fellow survivors to write personal messages calling for action and accountability.🕘 Media: 9:00-9:30 AM — Optional House Tour
Tour a contaminated, unremediated home — still unlivable due to insurer delays and denials.🕙 10:00 – 10:30 AM — Survivor-Led Press Conference
Survivors will share updates on both the progress and ongoing failures in the recovery, and call for action from insurers and government officials.🕥 10:30 AM — On-Camera Stand-Up Interviews
Dozens of survivors available for one-on-one interviews to share their stories.
Hugs will be free all morning.
We’ve made up a bunch of t-shirts that say DON’T MESS WITH FIRE SURVIVORS, so come early to grab yours.
All Eaton and Palisades fire survivors and allies welcome. Bring a friend or two (or five!). The more of us together, the stronger our voices—and the more hugs to go around.
Survivors/Allies RSVP:
https://efsurvivorsnetwork.myflodesk.com/zbgwrbebfa
Media Advisory:
We can’t wait to see you!