The Fire Insurance Catastrophe
National insurance companies are dropping homeowner’s insurance policies at an increasing rate throughout California. Homeowners are left facing the very real possibility of property damage or loss from fire and the very real prospect of losing their homeowner’s insurance policy. It is important to note that insurance companies are under no mandate to conform to the California prescription for defensible space. In fact, homeowners are now frequently getting compliant inspection reports from Cal Fire and then getting dropped from their homeowner’s policy. This is leaving homeowners with few possibilities for fire insurance. Many national carriers simply won’t insure homes in California that are outside of urban landscapes.
Most insurers are following the national recommendations illustrated in the Wildland Urban Interface Code. This code provides insurers with a simple standard that is standardized and can be applied throughout the nation.
Live Oak Wildfire provides the solution for clients. We will inspect your property, create a preliminary report documenting the work that needs to be completed in order to comply with California law requiring defensible space and complying with the Wildland Urban Interface Code relied upon so heavily by national insurers. Once there is agreement between Live Oak Wildfire, the homeowner, and the homeowner’s insurance company; Live Oak Wildfire will create effective defensible space and provide final report documentation to prove to insurance companies that the property is in compliance with both California Law and the Wildland Urban Interface Code.
How to get fire insurance back
Are you a California or Nevada resident and recently lost your fire insurance policy or was notified of an insurance rate increase? The first step to getting your fire insurance back is understanding how fire insurance works.
The major insurance companies follow internationally published building codes to guide their underwriters as to whether a home is high risk and uninsurable within their risk management guidelines. That code is the International Code Council. It publishes the International Wildland Urban Interface Code that underwriters in our national insurance companies use to determine whether a home is insurable. In general, most insurance companies physically inspect insured buildings when the policy is first written. Now, additional homes are being inspected annually and communities are being inspected. If the home or community is determined to be out of compliance with the WUI Code, then homes lose their fire insurance.
Many of us who live out of urban centers are watching insurance rates climb and/or losing our fire insurance. Additionally, many people in California are being moved to the California Fair Plan; which requires a secondary policy for come contents and general liability.
How We Can Help You
If you recently lost your fire insurance coverage, don’t fret. At Live Oak Wildfire Solutions, we are dedicated to getting your fire insurance coverage restored. We work with homeowners or communities to ensure Wildland Urban Interface compliance. We make sure your property has effective defensible space by using the same check list as insurance companies. In addition, we offer tree and vegetation removal services to ensure we are your one-stop-shop for your defensible space needs. If you are located in Northern California or Nevada and need help with your fire insurance coverage, call us today.
Live Oak Wildfire is a leading defensible space and wildfire risk reduction consulting company, dedicated to providing you with all the services you need to stay wildfire safe.