I never thought I\u2019d be writing this as a proud Los Angeles homeowner.<\/p>\n
Last week, I received notice from Liberty Mutual<\/a> that my condo insurance policy is being canceled effective October 3. <\/p>\n No explanation tied to my claims history or property condition \u2014 just a blanket decision as part of the insurer\u2019s widespread pullback from California.<\/p>\n My building is well-maintained and has been seismically retrofitted against earthquake damage. I\u2019ve done everything right. Yet I\u2019m still caught in the crosshairs of an insurance crisis that\u2019s hitting Angelinos (and tax-paying, law-abiding transplants like me) the hardest.<\/p>\n Nikki Dobrin outside her home in Mar Vista Jonathan Alcorn for CA Post<\/p>\n As a single woman, and lawful permanent resident, who worked hard to buy this place (including 70-hour weeks) and who has never missed a mortgage payment or HOA due, this feels like a real kick in the teeth.<\/p>\n I moved to California a little over 10 years ago chasing the dream so many of us have: success, stability, homeownership, upward mobility, and building something for myself in an energetic, lively town that promised endless opportunity with a dollop of glamor. <\/p>\n In my home country and other places I\u2019ve lived, I saved diligently for years while living in share houses, rented rooms and even in squats. I bought the condo, my first home, in 2016 in the West LA neighborhood Mar Vista<\/a> because it felt like a community I could lay root, in an amazing location close to Venice Beach.<\/p>\n I officially moved in on Halloween, and have had my insurance policy<\/a> since before closing. I\u2019ve been paying more than $1,300 annually to protect my greatest asset.<\/p>\n Aerial view of the Mar Vista neighborhood in Los Angeles with the Santa Monica mountains in the background Adam \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n I\u2019ve poured so much cash and sweat into maintaining this home: Going without vacations to renovate my kitchen and bathrooms; retiling the fireplace; laying new baseboards; ripping out carpet to lay hardwood floors; new light fixtures; and painting walls, cabinets, ceilings and surfaces to further bolster the biggest financial stake I\u2019ve ever committed to in my life.<\/p>\n I was blessed that in my decade of homeownership, Mar Vista has been continuously revitalized, fortuitously adding value to my hard-earned investment.<\/p>\n Now, one of the largest insurers in the country is walking away, leaving me scrambling to find new coverage in a market that\u2019s already brutal for homeowners.<\/p>\n According to the email I received from Liberty Mutual: \u201cThe California insurance market has been particularly volatile, driven by factors like catastrophic weather events, devastating wildfires have led to billions of dollars in losses for insurers.\u201d<\/p>\n The insurer lists the main reasons for the non-renewal, including inflation and rising construction costs, stating \u201cthe primary reason for Liberty Mutual\u2019s decision is to lower its exposure to risk, especially in regions with high susceptibility to catastrophic events, like California.<\/p>\n Nikki Dobrin with her letter from Liberty Mutual letting her know she was losing her insurance policy. Jonathan Alcorn for CA Post<\/p>\n \u201cLet us know if you have any questions or want to explore alternative coverage options,\u201d the email ends.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve reached out to my insurers several times, who are yet to return my calls regarding \u201calternative coverage options,\u201d let alone for comment on this story.<\/p>\n Sadly, this isn\u2019t just my story. <\/p>\n Across Los Angeles and the Golden State, insurers are non-renewing policies at alarming rates, citing wildfire risk<\/a>, inflation, catastrophic events and financial losses. <\/p>\n But here\u2019s the thing \u2014 I live in Mar Vista, a mostly flat residential neighborhood not in a high-fire zone. <\/p>\n According to the US Geological Survey, there is around a 60% chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake<\/a> in SoCal within the next 30 years. <\/p>\n The California Earthquake Authority puts it at a 99% chance of a massive one of 6.7 or greater <\/a>hitting the state within the next 30 years, with 15,000 fault lines across SoCal alone.<\/p>\n This reality makes reliable insurance coverage even more critical for homeowners like me in LA.<\/p>\n The timing of this non-renewal couldn\u2019t be worse. Mortgage rates are still elevated, everyday living and gas prices are through the roof<\/a>, and now I have to worry about finding new coverage that won\u2019t break the bank \u2014 if I can even find it.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve already started calling brokers, and the quotes I\u2019m seeing are significantly higher than what I was paying. Some carriers aren\u2019t even writing new condo policies in parts of LA right now.<\/p>\n And earthquake coverage costs extra.<\/p>\n Liberty Mutual Group is pulling back services from California monticellllo \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n I understand businesses have to manage risk. But when major insurers pull out en masse, it leaves hardworking people like me feeling abandoned in a state we\u2019ve invested in and are proud to call home.<\/p>\n We pay our taxes, we pay our mortgages, we stop at crosswalks, we hold doors for the elderly, we tip our wait staff \u2014 we follow the rules of polite society. <\/p>\n We shouldn\u2019t have to wonder if we\u2019ll be able to protect the biggest investment of our lives.<\/p>\n I\u2019m sharing my story because I know I\u2019m not the only one. <\/p>\n For now, I\u2019m doing what I can: calling every broker, reading every policy, and refusing to let this derail the home I worked so hard for. <\/p>\n But Californians deserve better than this constant uncertainty amid skyrocketing costs.<\/p>\n My advice to others in a similar situation is to start shopping around for policies early, document everything and consider reaching out to the California Department of Insurance<\/a>. <\/p>\n The insurance crisis in Los Angeles and California isn\u2019t just a business problem \u2014 it\u2019s a housing stability problem, a class problem, and it\u2019s affecting real working people trying to build lives here and make California the amazing place it was once lauded as.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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