The Law of Rebuilding LA Episode 1: The hidden limits of fire insurance and what every homeowner should know

Welcome to the first episode of "The Law of Rebuilding LA," a new podcast series from the Daily Journal focusing on litigation arising from fire cases and their impact on rebuilding efforts. In this episode, Daily Journal Contributing Editor Howard Miller talks to Michael Bidart, managing partner of Shernoff, Bidart and Echeverria LLP, who is recognized as one of California's leading insurance litigators. The discussion centers on policyholder insurance issues, particularly focusing on different levels of coverage.

The conversation explores the complexities of fire insurance coverage, explaining that having fire insurance doesn't automatically guarantee full rebuilding resources.

Listen as Miller and Bidart cover:

• The crucial difference between insurance types and what "actual cash value" really means for your rebuild costs
• Three modern policy types that can make or break your rebuild budget:
  • Basic fixed limit replacement cost
  • Extended coverage
  • Guaranteed replacement cost
• Your policy's hidden roadmap: where to find and decode your exact coverage details
• Why being underinsured is more common than you think, and what insurers don't want to tell you about damage estimates
• The groundbreaking Conway case that gives you the freedom to rebuild elsewhere - with important strings attached
• What you can (and can't) do with your insurance payout when rebuilding in a new location

Stay tuned for Episode 2, where Miller and Bidart will focus on the claims adjustment process and how the final insurance payout amount is determined.