Mudslide insurance bill goes to governor

The California Legislature has approved a measure clarifying insurance coverage following mudslides near Santa Barbara.
    
The Senate voted Wednesday to send SB917 to Gov. Jerry Brown.
    
Insurance policies generally cover damage from fires but not mudslides. The mudslides in Montecito were triggered by a wildfire, creating confusion about whether damage was covered by insurance.
    
In such cases where multiple factors combine to destroy property, courts have ruled that insurers must pay if the policy covers the most important cause of damage.
    
Democratic Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson says enshrining the existing legal doctrine in law should help future mudslide victims avoid fights with their insurance company.