California's insurance commissioner huddled with major insurance companies in San Diego today. Steve Poizner says he got them to agree on a set of minimum standards that they'll use when responding to a major tragedy like October's wildfires.
He says 70 percent of the firms that sell insurance in California were at the meeting.
Poizner : I'm just really pleased I was able to get people's attention on, okay what can we do together, the regulator and the industry, without waiting for the legislature, to pass legislation which can take years, What can we do now, less than two months after the fires, to help survivors get back on their feet more quickly.
Poizner says he's asking companies to issue advance cash for living expenses and destroyed belongings for people who've lost their homes. He also got pledges for faster payments for the loss of a vehicle, billing relief, and expedited debris removal.
Poizner says there have been fewer problems with insurance companies this year than there were after the Cedar fire.
