INSURANCE

Garamendi Sets Deadline for Oakland Fire Settlements: Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi gave insurers until July 20 to settle claims from last fall’s huge Oakland fire. At a hearing in Oakland, Garamendi ordered insurers to file reports with his office by July 20 “summarizing their performance . . . with case-by-case explanations of any unresolved claims.” He said that since a preliminary hearing in April, at which consumers complained of delays, misleading policy language and other problems, six major insurers have agreed to cover total fire losses regardless of policy limits. The six are California Casualty, California State Automobile Assn., Farmers, Fireman’s Fund, Liberty Mutual and State Farm.