Thousands of Los Angeles families are still fighting their insurance companies over claims from the January 2025 wildfires. If your claim has been delayed, underpaid, or denied, you may have a case of your own. Your time to act is limited.
Lyfe Law helps Eaton and Palisades Fire survivors fight for the rebuild money, contents, smoke remediation, and living expenses their policies promised.
Free claim review. No fee unless we win.
Check any that apply to you:
If even one applies, talk to a lawyer before your deadlines pass.
Deadline to sue for most state-of-emergency fire losses
Minimum living-expense (ALE) coverage for state-of-emergency losses
Upfront cost. No fee unless we win.
Two-year mark for many Eaton and Palisades Fire claims
Sources: Cal. Insurance Code §§ 2060, 2071.
Fire survivors across Los Angeles County keep running into the same problems with their insurance companies:
Unreasonable delays in investigating and processing fire survivors' claims.
Systematic underpayment, even where the amount owed was clear.
Frequent, improper reassignment of adjusters and barriers to reaching them.
Inadequate Additional Living Expense (ALE) payments for displaced families.
Failure to properly evaluate smoke damage in homes that were left standing.
Statements that discourage policyholders from pursuing benefits they're owed.
If any of these sound familiar, your insurer may be breaking its duty to treat you fairly. California law requires insurers to investigate promptly, pay what is owed, and explain their decisions in writing.
California regulations set firm deadlines and standards for how insurers handle claims. Common violations include:
When an insurer falls short of these rules, you may have grounds for a bad faith claim, not just a dispute over the numbers.
If your insurance company is delaying, underpaying, or denying your fire claim, call Lyfe right away to learn your rights. All consults are free.
Probably not. Insurers rarely reverse a low offer or denial without pressure, and waiting can cost you your deadline to sue.
If your insurer owes you money under your policy, an individual claim for breach of contract and insurance bad faith is often the most direct way to recover it.
Insurers must investigate promptly, pay what is owed, and explain their decisions in writing. Call us if:
That last one matters. A closing letter can count as a denial and restart the clock on your deadline to sue, even if it never uses the word “denied.”
Deadline to sue: generally 24 months. For losses tied to a declared state of emergency, California’s standard fire policy allows 24 months from the date of loss to file suit, instead of the usual 12 (Insurance Code § 2071). For many Eaton and Palisades claims, that count starts from January 7, 2025.
The clock may be paused, but not forever. It is generally paused while a timely claim is being handled and restarts when the insurer denies the claim in writing. Your exact deadline depends on your file, which is why a lawyer should calculate it.
Living expenses: at least 24 months. For a state-of-emergency loss, ALE must be available for at least 24 months. You can get up to 12 more months if rebuilding is delayed by things outside your control, like permits, contractors, or materials (Insurance Code § 2060). Extensions are not automatic, so request one in writing.
More than your policy limits. When an insurer acts in bad faith, California law may allow recovery of emotional distress damages, attorney’s fees spent getting policy benefits, and in some cases punitive damages.
Depending on your policy and the facts of your claim, an individual case may seek:
Full dwelling and rebuild costs
Personal property and contents
Additional Living Expenses (ALE)
Smoke, soot, and ash remediation
Industrial hygienist and environmental testing
Emotional distress from bad faith
Attorney's fees to recover policy benefits
Punitive damages for egregious conduct
No outcome can be guaranteed. What you can recover depends on your policy, your losses, and how your claim was handled.
When you call Lyfe Law, our team can:
You don’t pay unless we win.
Yes, if your insurer failed to pay what your policy owes or handled your claim unreasonably. Individual cases are typically brought for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, also known as insurance bad faith.
Possibly. Many survivors have received partial payments that fall short of the real cost to rebuild, replace contents, or remediate smoke damage. A lawyer can compare what you were paid against what your policy covers.
Smoke damage is one of the most common disputes in LA wildfire claims. If your smoke claim was denied, underpaid, or never properly tested, you may have a claim.
For many Eaton and Palisades Fire claims, the starting point is 24 months from the fire, which is around January 7, 2027. Your actual date may be earlier or later depending on when you reported the claim and whether you received a written denial or closing letter. Don’t wait to find out.
California law requires at least 24 months of ALE for state-of-emergency losses, plus up to 12 more months when rebuilding is delayed for reasons outside your control. Ask for an extension in writing and document your delays. We can help you make that request.
No. Lyfe Law reviews wildfire claims against any insurance company.
Nothing. Your review is free and confidential, and we work on contingency, so you don’t pay unless we win.
If your insurance company has delayed, underpaid, or denied your Eaton or Palisades Fire claim, Lyfe Law is ready to review it. The review is free and confidential, and the deadlines for many survivors are approaching.
Lyfe Law is not affiliated with any insurance company or government agency. This page provides general information, not legal advice. Deadlines depend on the facts of each claim. Attorney advertising.
Tell us where your claim stands. It takes about two minutes and is completely confidential.
