Citing what it calls a potentially “dire situation,” State Farm asked California for permission to hike insurance rates by an average of 22%.

State Farm, the largest home insurer in California, is asking for an emergency rate hike from state regulators as it warns that multibillion-dollar payouts from the Los Angeles wildfires threaten its balance sheet and the broader insurance market.

Citing the "dire" financial situation they're facing after the Los Angeles wildfires, State Farm General has asked California officials for an emergency interim rate increase. The rate hike could work out to an average increase of 22% for California homeowners, State Farm General revealed Monday.