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Vice President Kamala Harris has called out insurance companies in California for canceling or refusing to renew homeowners’ policies in wildfire-prone areas.

Some shit you should know before you read: Over the last three years, California’s insurance crisis has worsened as major insurers like State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers have significantly reduced their presence in the state, citing the increasing frequency of wildfires, soaring repair costs, inflation, and restrictive state regulations. Insurers claim that California’s laws prevent them from raising premiums to adequately reflect the growing risks of natural disasters, making it financially unsustainable to continue offering widespread coverage. Meanwhile, state officials have criticized insurers for prioritizing profits and leaving homeowners in high-risk areas without options, accusing them of abandoning communities when they are most vulnerable. As more insurers pull out, thousands of residents are forced to turn to the state’s FAIR Plan, a high-cost, last-resort insurance program offering limited protection for homeowners.

What’s going on now: While speaking at an event, Vice President Kamala Harris criticized insurance companies for their actions in the aftermath of California’s wildfires, calling out patterns of denying or canceling coverage for homeowners in high-risk areas. She said, “There are a couple of things going on that I see as patterns. One is about what the insurance companies are not doing to extend coverage. They are canceling coverage, making it more difficult for young homeowners who are just buying their home. Not even insuring them.”

Despite this, Harris has faced criticism from the insurance industry, with David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), calling her remarks “false, wrong, and dangerous.” Sampson pointed out that California law prohibits insurers from canceling policies mid-term and accused Harris of creating unnecessary fear and mistrust among the public.

Speaking to Fox News, he said, “It is especially concerning coming from a former California statewide elected official who should know the law.”