California Sends Assistance to Fire Survivors in Butte County

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner deployed Department of Insurance (CDI) consumer information experts to help Butte County fire survivors with recovery efforts.

Governor Schwarzenegger announced the creation of one-stop local assistance centers in Butte County this week. Commissioner Poizner has sent his staff to help survivors with their insurance-related questions and concerns as they work to rebuild their lives in the wake of the destructive Humboldt and Ophir Fires. Consumer information experts will answer insurance questions, help fire survivors understand their coverage, provide advice for filing a claim and assist with filing a complaint if necessary.

The one-stop centers will operate in Oroville on Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24; and in Paradise from Wednesday, June 25 through Friday, June 27. The Operating hours at both locations are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The locations are below. (For more information about the centers, visit the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Web site at www.oes.ca.gov.)

Southside Community Center
2959 Lower Wyandotte Road
Oroville, CA

Paradise Intermediate School
5657 Recreation Drive
Paradise, CA

The Week of June 16, 2008, Commissioner Poizner sent CDI fraud investigators to Butte County to conduct outreach throughout the region and advise fire survivors on how to avoid scam artists who routinely target disaster zones. Since the Humboldt and Ophir Fires broke out, CDI investigators and staff have worked collaboratively with Cal Fire and the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, in addition to other local and state entities, to offer aid to fire survivors.

In May, Commissioner Poizner dispatched CDI fraud investigators and insurance experts to the Summit Fire zone to offer advice to fire victims.

Source: CDI