(INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) — This week on Inside California Politics, host Nikki Laurenzo spoke with Jane Kim, one of two democrats competing to be California’s next Insurance Commissioner.

Kim, an attorney who previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, wants to see the state explore and expand more public options for home and auto insurance.

In the case of insuring homes against wildfires, Kim points to systems in other countries.

“So we’re really interested in New Zealand because home insurance there is still on the multi-payer system,” Kim said. “You still get your home insurance from Allstate or Farmers for the fire in the kitchen, for the pipes bursting, for burglaries. But just the home disaster line, natural disaster line, is paid as a levy from the insurance companies to the state. The state stewards those dollars. They invest it. And then they take some of the returns and they invest it back in communities in the form of flood-proofing, fire-proofing, and climate resiliency.”

Inside California Politics spoke with Kim’s general election opponent, Ben Allen, in June. During that interview, Allen critiques many of Kim’s proposals, derisively comparing them to a magic wand.

When asked to respond, she said it’s important to fight for big ideas and pointed to her previous experience.

“If you’re going to come into office and fight for level two or three, you’re going to get zero. If you come in fighting at level 10, you’re going to win something for the people of California,” Kim said. “I have spent 12 years in office on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and School Board, and I know what it’s like to take on big fights and win them.”

“I’m really proud of the fact that I led landmark legislation that has now made San Francisco the only city to make community college tuition free, that has brought in $140 million annually to make early childhood education affordable for every working and middle-class family, and pass the first $15 minimum wage ordinance,” she continued. “I have always campaigned and led on an ambitious agenda, and I have won. And I think that we need big transformative ideas, and what I hear consistently across the state is that people feel their elected leaders and politicians aren’t taking a big enough swing for them.”

Watch the full episode of Inside California Politics in the media player at the top of the page.

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