Ricardo Lara

Front view of a light-colored house with a peaked roof, wooden double doors, and a landscaped garden. Trees and shrubs frame the foreground, and sunlight illuminates the facade under a partly cloudy sky.

Economía

California’s next insurance commissioner will have ‘brutal’ balancing act

Ricardo Lara’s successor will have a full plate. Insurance premiums are rising; fire survivors are struggling; the FAIR Plan is still growing.

Por

Levi Sumagaysay

• marzo 5, 2026

A semi-truck drives toward a Waste Management facility entrance marked by a large sign, with rolling green hills in the background under a clear sky.

Ambiente

Residents of a polluted California town pinned hopes on new state rules. They’re still waiting

A 2015 law required the state Department of Toxic Substances Control to overhaul its permitting process to consider how multiple sources of pollution impacts health. Advocates now say the overdue rules aren’t protective enough.

Por

Alejandra Reyes Velarde

• enero 27, 2026

The backs of two people as they hold each other while looking at the burnt rubble that used to be their home.

Comentario

Here’s why L.A. fire survivors want Ricardo Lara’s resignation

Los Angeles area fire victims say Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has let insurers drop coverage, raise rates and delay or deny claims.

By Joy Chen and Jill Spivack • noviembre 21, 2025

A close-up and side view of a person — with short black hair and wearing a navy suit — as they speak into a microphone while sitting on a small stage.

Economía

‘We feel alone’: L.A. fire survivors call for California’s insurance commissioner to resign

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is also facing pressure to oust Commissioner Ricardo Lara as insurance policyholders struggle with delayed and denied claims months after the Los Angeles fires.

Por

Levi Sumagaysay

• noviembre 7, 2025

A person in a navy suit holds a microphone while speaking on stage in front of a black backdrop with repeating text that reads "CalMatters." The individual gestures with one hand as an audience listens in the foreground.

Economía

Ricardo Lara proposes insurance rule that critics call ‘revenge’

California’s insurance commissioner has sparred with Consumer Watchdog, which says his proposed rule is retaliatory.

Por

Levi Sumagaysay

• septiembre 24, 2025

A wide view of smoke clouds from two active wildfires filling the air of an area of a mountain range with houses.

Economía

California’s insurer of last resort would face more scrutiny under bill heading to Newsom’s desk

The FAIR Plan faces accusations of denying smoke-damage claims and more. Can California lawmakers keep the insurer of last resort accountable?

Por

Levi Sumagaysay

y

Nadia Lathan

• septiembre 15, 2025

A tattered American flag stands amid the ruins of a burned-down structure, surrounded by charred debris and remnants of walls. The ground is covered in ash and broken materials. In the background, leafless trees and a partially collapsed fence add to the scene of destruction. The golden light of the setting or rising sun filters through the trees, casting a somber glow over the aftermath.

Comentario

Los Angeles wildfires intensify political jousting over home insurance premiums

If nothing else, the Los Angeles fires underscored the absolutely vital role of a healthy insurance market — not only in protecting the investments that Californians have in their homes and businesses, but as a key component for buying and selling real estate.

Por

Daniel Walters

• febrero 20, 2025

A person stands in the middle of a road surrounded by charred home structures that were destroyed by a wildfire.

Comentario

Can new state regulations resolve California’s existential insurance crisis?

The state's elected insurance commissioner formally unveiled a large chunk of his plan to stem the exodus of insurers from California. Adoption of the plans may result in premium hikes, but maintaining a viable market is vital to the state's economy.

Por

Daniel Walters

• diciembre 17, 2024

Cuatro personas se sientan en una mesa de debate frente a micrófonos y hablan ante el público. El fondo es una pared de ladrillos y la sala es un lugar de conferencias o reuniones.

Elecciones

'Notoriamente lentas': las largas investigaciones sobre políticos de California dejan a los votantes en la oscuridad

A CalMatters analysis shows that California’s campaign finance watchdog has sometimes taken years to resolve cases, sometimes after politicians have won election or left office.

Por

Yue Stella Yu

y

Jeremías Kimelman

• 14 de octubre de 2024

El reportero de CalMatters, Levi Sumagaysay, habla con el Comisionado de Seguros, Ricardo Lara. El fondo muestra de forma destacada el logotipo de "CALMATTERS". Ricardo Lara, vestido con un traje azul marino, habla mientras sostiene un micrófono y hace gestos con las manos para enfatizar un punto. Levi Sumagaysay, a la izquierda, escucha atentamente, sosteniendo una tarjeta y también vestido formalmente con un blazer blanco con rayas. La escena es una discusión moderada, con una pequeña audiencia en primer plano.

Economía

Por qué Ricardo Lara dice que su plan para solucionar la crisis de seguros en California funcionará

At a CalMatters event, California’s insurance commissioner says the changes he’s making will help homeowners and business owners. One idea: A state grant for those who spend money to protect their property from wildfires.

Por

Sameea Kamal

• 19 de septiembre de 2024