McClatchy endorses Patrick Wolff for California insurance commissioner. Here's what to know

California’s insurance crisis has left homeowners scrambling as major insurers retreat from the state. The McClatchy editorial board is endorsing financial analyst Patrick Wolff in the primary race for insurance commissioner.

FULL STORY: Read McClatchy Media’s endorsement for California’s insurance commissioner | Opinion

Here are key takeaways:

• The January 2025 Southern California wildfires exposed outdated regulatory rules, prompting major insurers like State Farm and Allstate to stop issuing new homeowners policies and pushing residents to the high-cost California FAIR Plan.
• The editorial board endorses Patrick Wolff, a financial analyst and licensed property and casualty insurance agent with more than 25 years of business and financial experience, including building a home and auto insurance brokerage at a major bank.
• Ten candidates filed for the race, including state Sen. Ben Allen and former legislator Steven Bradford. The board said legislative credentials alone are not enough for the job.
• Wolff wants to modernize Proposition 103, the 1988 ballot measure governing insurance rates, and make Department of Insurance market conduct annual survey data public so consumers can compare California to other states.
• A former national chess champion, Wolff played nine opponents at once at Sacramento’s Capitol Park in January 2025.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.