California homeowners who take steps to protect their property from wildfires will get premium insurance discounts thanks to a new state rule.
California is the first state in the country that will require insurance companies to offer discounts for fire-hardened properties.
The Department of Insurance made the announcement earlier this week. Property owners will be rewarded if they take action to mitigate wildfire based on the state’s framework, Safer From Wildfires.
That framework includes a list of expert-recommended actions to protect structures, immediate surroundings, and the greater community.
Some of the recommendations include:
- Class-A Fire rated roof
- Enclosed eaves
- Maintaining a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around a home
- Cleared vegetation and debris from under decks
- Defensible space compliant with local ordinances and state law
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the regulation responds to skyrocketing insurance costs for residents living in wildfire-prone areas.
“Protecting Californians from deadly wildfires means everyone doing their part, including insurance companies by rewarding consumers for being safer from wildfires,” Lara said in a statement.
Currently, fewer than half of the insurance companies doing business in California provide such discounts, according to reports.
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California has struggled with larger and more frequent wildfires.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, fifteen of the state’s 20 most destructive wildfires on record have occurred since 2015.
