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California’s top insurance regulator on Thursday launched an investigation into State Farm over the company’s handling of claims from the January Los Angeles-area wildfires.The investigation comes after survivors of the Palisades and Eaton fires said that the state’s largest home insurer was delaying and mishandling claims regarding damage to their homes and possible contamination from smoke.The blazes destroyed thousands of buildings around Los Angeles, killed 30 people and displaced thousands of others. They were estimated to be among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the investigation will review whether the company complied with state consumer protection and claim-handling laws.“Californians deserve fair and comprehensive treatment from their insurance companies,” the Democrat said in a statement. “No one should be left in uncertainty, forced to fight for what they are owed, or face endless delays that often lead consumers to give up.”State Farm, which has about 1 million home insurance customers in California, said it will cooperate with the state’s review. The insurer has received roughly 13,000 claims related to the fires and has paid out about $4 billion to customers, the company said.“We’re here to help our customers recover and we empathize with those who are rebuilding their lives,” State Farm said in a statement. “Our focus continues to be on supporting our customers in their recovery from the largest fire event we have ever experienced.”Survivors of the Eaton fire in Altadena have raised concerns about possible lead, asbestos and heavy metal contamination in their homes because of smoke.State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Democrat representing Pasadena, in April called on Lara to launch a probe into the alleged mishandling of claims.“The survivors of the Los Angeles County fires are experiencing financial and emotional hardships due to State Farm’s delays and denials of their valid insurance claims,” she and other lawmakers said at the time. “Despite years of faithfully paying premiums, they have been met with excessive documentation demands, denial of claims despite clear evidence, a convoluted and arduous claims process, and silence when seeking help after the disaster.”Lara said homeowners should file formal complaints regarding State Farm’s handling of claims to help the state take action. The Department of Insurance announced a task force last month to recommend best practices for addressing smoke damage.A wildfire victims advocate praised the investigation as a “critical step toward accountability.”“State Farm is unjustly denying legitimate smoke damage claims, forcing families already harmed by the Eaton and Palisades fires to make the impossible choice of living in toxic homes or paying tens of thousands out of pocket for remediation. We stand ready to hold State Farm accountable,” Kiley Grombacher, co-founder of the California Fire Victims Law Center, said in a statement.Insurers including State Farm had difficulty doing business in California even before the wildfires. In 2023, State Farm and others stopped issuing residential policies because of the wildfire risk.Last year, Lara unveiled regulations aimed at giving insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for more policies in high-risk areas. State Farm said at the time the company was struggling.The wildfires, which destroyed more than 16,000 buildings, made matters even worse.In May, state regulators allowed State Farm to raise premiums 17% statewide for its California home insurance customers to help the company rebuild its capital after the costly wildfires.State Farm initially sought a 22% rate increase for homeowners but revised it down a recent hearing before an administrative judge. The new rates in effect this month include a 38% hike for rental owners and 15% for tenants.People who lost homes in the fires sued in April, alleging State Farm and other insurers colluded to “suddenly and simultaneously” drop coverage or halt writing new policies in fire-prone areas, including areas that burned. That left the homeowners underinsured and struggling to rebuild, the lawsuit alleges.The American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association representing home, auto and business insurers, called the lawsuits meritless, saying it monitors to ensure its members comply with the state’s antitrust laws. Associated Press writer Mead Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna Sophie Austin and Mead Gruver, Associated Press/Report for America
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E-Commerce
One of the biggest names in charging is the subject of a major new safety recall. Anker, which makes portable battery packs for mobile devices, is recalling 1.16 million chargers over concerns that their lithium ion batteries could overheat, causing burns or posing a fire risk. The recall specifically names Ankers PowerCore 10000 power banks with model number A1263, which consumers can find printed on the bottom of the devices. The recall only affects power banks sold in the U.S., and concerned customers can check their Anker products against the companys recall info page. The risk from the recalled devices isnt just hypothetical. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that Anker has documented 19 cases of fires and explosions related to the now-recalled power banks, including two minor burn injuries and 11 instances of property damage totaling more than $60,700. What to do if you own an affected charger Anyone with a portable charger affected by the recall can submit a claim with Anker in order to receive a replacement device or a gift card. If youve got a recalled device and arent sure what to do with it, dont throw it, or any other lithium ion battery, in the garbage can, as careless disposal of electronics can pose a real fire risk. Anker encourages its customers to check their citys specific recommendations for household hazardous waste collection to safely dispose of the potentially dangerous devices.
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E-Commerce
One of the worst mistakes I ever made applying for a job was ignoring red flags during the job interview process. Looking back, there were several things that made me uneasy. But I was enamored with how the company described its culture, the people, and the role, and so I ignored them. As it turned out, all of those things were poorly defined or a far cry from what was promised. I had left a toxic work environment only to end up in an equally bad situation. Sometimes, as job seekers, were so desperate to escape our current situations that we forget job interviews are a two-way street. We overfocus on performing well during interviews and forget to ask questions about the company or role (or ask only surface-level questions). {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/04\/workbetter-logo.png","headline":"Work Better","description":"Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn't suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more visit workbetter.media.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.workbetter.media","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} But the more you can try to suss out during the interview process, the better shape youll be in when deciding whether or not to accept or decline an offer. Here are some best practices. Red flags Some companies are not great at writing job descriptionsor theyll write perfect versions of a role that dont reflect reality. When youre talking to the hiring manager, ask about day-to-day responsibilities. The manager should have a crystal clear idea of what youre expected to do, even if the description is, You will wear a lot of hats. Ive worked for many small companies where I was expected to adjust to an ever-changing role. That can be fine, as long as you know upfront and your performance is evaluated accordingly. If the company only has a vague idea of what it needs from the role, odds are it won’t be possible for you to meet expectations. Its also a red flag if the company asks you to put a significant amount of work into the interview process. During the first interview, you should ask how many additional interviews you can expect. Three half-hour interviews total? Probably fine. Five hour-long interviews, plus a lengthy, unpaid test assignment? That company doesnt value your time, has trouble making decisions, or both. What to ask the interviewer Youll want to ask for details about the team structure and the type of work youll be doing. These basic questions will help you determine if its a job youd enjoy. But a few probing questions can help you learn more about the company itself. Why is this role open? Is the company in growth mode and needs to add to the team? Did the prior person leave because they accepted their dream job? Or has the company experienced a lot of turnover? How flexible is the work environment? If flexibility is important to you, youll want to ask the right questions. Some companies claim to be flexible when, in reality, they aren’t. A good question to ask is whether people work synchronously or asynchronously. If people work synchronously, the company is probably less flexible. You can also ask how many meetings you can expect per week, which will impact your flexibility. How is feedback given? This ties into how well the role is defined. Does the company have a formal review process? If so, how often? You want to make sure you can meet expectations, even if expectations are ever-changing at a small company. Dont end up in the same bad job situation Companies will likely look at your LinkedIn profile and ask for references, trying to determine what kind of an employee you are. You should do the same. Check Glassdoor, but read reviews with a grain of salt. Employees of small companies may be afraid to leave reviews, and sometimes reviews are skewed toward employees who had negative experiences. You can also check LinkedIn. Find former employees and look at how long they were with the company. One employee with a short tenure doesnt say much, but lots of turnover is a red flag. If youre comfortable, you could even send a DM to a former employee and ask about their experience. As a job seeker, its your version of checking references. Above all, dont ignore your gut. If you get a bad vibe during the interview, it will probably be magnified once youre hired. Unless youre desperate for a new role, its better to keep looking than to end up in a job you regret. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/04\/workbetter-logo.png","headline":"Work Better","description":"Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn't suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more visit workbetter.media.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.workbetter.media","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} Anna Burgess Yang
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