At a time when Californians face increasing risks from wildfires, rising medical costs, and ongoing litigation, the state’s largest insurer, State Farm, is now withdrawing critical protections—leaving policyholders exposed when they need coverage most.
In a recent move, State Farm has announced a sweeping list of disqualifying traits and activities that make policyholders ineligible for its California Personal Liability Umbrella Program, a type of policy that offers at least $1 million in extra protection. The exclusions now include everyday situations, such as homeowners who have filed just two claims in five years. So, filing for smoke, water, or storm damage, risks that are increasingly common in California due to extreme weather and wildfires, can now put ordinary homeowners at risk of losing essential coverage for routine events.
For many, these umbrella policies are not luxuries, they serve as a lifeline and essential safeguard. Removing access to this level of protection leaves countless individuals and families at risk of financial devastation.
I’ve been on two wheels most of my life.
My first motorcycle was purchased as a freshman in college for the sole purpose of affordable transportation. For a few thousand dollars, I was able to get around town and to and from school. Rain or shine, summer or winter, I soon found myself experiencing more than just getting from one point to the next, and before I knew it, I was hooked on what I came to call “clearing my head time.” Forty years and over 500,000 miles later, I am still enjoying each ride as if it was my first time.
There is something about being in the wind, experiencing every aspect ...
If you lived in Los Angeles during the recent wildfires, especially in or near a neighborhood that was directly affected, you may have noticed changes in how you feel, think, or function day to day. It’s not unusual to experience fear or sadness after a major disaster. But if those feelings are still lingering, intensifying, or interfering with your daily life, you could be dealing with signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is more than just stress – it is a powerful psychological response to life-threatening events. For many wildfire survivors, the trauma ...
On Thursday, what began as a routine morning at the Hillsboro data center outside of Portland, Oregon turned into a five-hour battle against burning lithium-ion batteries that reveals critical gaps in how we regulate and prepare for the toxic risks posed by large-scale battery facilities.
The Hillsboro facility, reportedly leased by Elon Musk’s X for data storage including servers and networking infrastructure, became the site of a dangerous lithium fire on May 29. Fire crews were ultimately forced to abandon direct suppression efforts, instead working to contain the perimeter while allowing the battery bank to burn itself out.
The thick, toxic smoke and the fire's resistance to traditional suppression methods highlight a troubling reality: lithium-ion battery fires don't behave like ordinary fires, and our emergency response systems aren't adequately prepared for them.
As the weather warms up, pools become a central part of many California homes, offering a refreshing way to cool off. However, with the joys of pool ownership comes the responsibility of ensuring safety, especially when it comes to preventing drowning accidents, which can happen in the blink of an eye. For homeowners in California, the Swimming Pool Safety Act (SPSA) mandates specific measures to protect children and others from pool-related incidents.
At least 10 people have been hospitalized in connection with a listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat food products by Fresh & Ready Foods LLC of San Fernando, California, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Federal officials say the contaminated food was distributed across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington. The products were sold at a wide range of locations, including hospitals, hotels, convenience stores, airports, and even through airlines. The affected individuals were located in California and Nevada, and all required hospitalization.
At least seven people in six states have become ill due to a salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry, while a separate cluster tied to Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe in Claremont, San Diego, has now caused 37 diners to become sick.
San Diego County is under mounting legal pressure as hundreds of survivors bring lawsuits claiming systemic sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of vulnerable children placed in the county’s care, particularly at the Polinsky Children’s Center. These claims, brought under the California Child Victims Act, depict a harrowing pattern of neglect, cover-ups, and abuse stretching back to the 1990s.
In a concerning development for American consumers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced it will stop enforcing crucial protections for users of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services. This decision represents yet another step in the ongoing dismantling of consumer safeguards under the current administration, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to potential financial harm.
Recent news broke out that a 10-year-old Californian girl had been found more than 250 miles from home after allegedly being lured by a 27-year-old man she met through the popular online gaming platform Roblox. Court documents revealed that the man, Matthew Naval, picked her up in the early morning and drove her hours away, where they were eventually found together in a parking lot. Naval is now being held on kidnapping and multiple child sex-related charges.
The girl told investigators she initially believed they were just going to a park near her home. But as the drive continued, she ...