FAIR Plan Coverage Limited by Statute

 September 15, 2014

 In 1968, the legislature enacted the California FAIR Plan to provide property insurance to the otherwise uninsurable. Appellants, who lived in high fire risk areas, were insured under the FAIR Plan. Following wildfires, appellants were paid the full amount of their policy limits because their loss was equal to or exceeded the policy limits. Appellants contended, however, that they were entitled to additional payments and should have coverage provided to them under a standard homeowners policy rather than the fire policies issued by the FAIR Plan. The trial court disagreed, determining that the FAIR Plan had met its contractual and statutory obligations to them. The California Court of Appeal, in Gaeton St. Cyr v. California Fair Plan Association, 223 Cal.App.4th 786, 167 Cal.Rptr.3d 507 (2014) resolved whether the policy issued by the FAIR Plan to the plaintiffs should have provided broader coverage.