California Earthquake Authority named administrator of Wildfire Fund

(SACRAMENTO) The California Catastrophe Response Council, which oversees the Wildfire Fund, has formally named the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) the fund’s administrator.

The Wildfire Fund was established by the California Legislature, under Assembly Bill 1054 and Assembly Bill 111, and was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 12, 2019. At that time, CEA was designated the fund’s interim administrator until the nine-member California Catastrophe Response Council could be formed and appoint an administrator.

During the new council’s quarterly meeting on April 23—held via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic—the council evaluated core competencies needed for an administrator, including qualifications set forth by statute, and the potential options available to the council. It also reviewed materials about CEA’s operating structure and more than 23 years of experience before making its decision in a unanimous vote.

“CEA readily accepts the role of administrator. We’re proud of the work we’ve been doing since the Wildfire Fund was established last summer, and we’re pleased to have the confidence of the California Catastrophe Response Council,” said CEA CEO Glenn Pomeroy.

CEA has experience managing funds of this size and will be working with the council to develop a claims administration process that is specific to the Wildfire Fund.

Assets in the CEA fund for residential earthquake insurance policyholders are segregated and separately managed and maintained from assets in the Wildfire Fund, which was established to provide a source of money to pay or reimburse eligible claims arising from a covered wildfire caused by a participating utility company. All costs and expenses incurred by CEA to administer the Wildfire Fund are allocated to and paid from the Wildfire Fund.