The 4-1-1 on Wildfire Insurance in California
California is a beautiful state full of forests and mountainous areas. In addition to being known for its exceptional landscapes, it’s also known for the many wildfires that crop up throughout the state. Millions of acres of land are burned each year in the Golden State. If you live in the state of California, you are at risk of experiencing a wildfire. It doesn’t matter where you live; wildfires can appear anywhere in the state.
What Causes Wildfires?
Wildfires can be caused by many different things. Most are caused by campfires that have been left unattended. Discarded cigarettes, equipment malfunctions, burning trash, and intentional arson are also considered to be common causes. Lightning strikes only account for about 15% of all wildfires, which means that the other 85% are attributed to humans and their actions. While some parts of the state are more prone to wildfire than others, the entire state has some risk of a wildfire at any given time.
Home Insurance and Wildfires
A traditional homeowners’ policy will cover most types of fire. Wildfires are included in this. It can be incredibly expensive to rebuild your home and other structures that were destroyed. If your goal is to rebuild, make sure that you have enough coverage to do so. You will need to purchase enough coverage to rebuild your home. This is known as replacement coverage. If you only purchase enough insurance to cover your home’s current market value, you may not have enough to rebuild.
Condo Insurance and Wildfires
Condo insurance is somewhat different. Although it is similar to homeowners’ insurance and covers damages caused by wildfires, it will only cover the interior walls of your home. For anything outside of your home or personal living area, The Home Owners Association that owns your building will be paying for the exterior damage with funds from their own insurance.
How Do You Get Wildfire Insurance?
If you live in an area that has a much higher risk of wildfires, your insurance agency may require you to buy supplemental coverage. You can buy wildfire insurance from most insurance carriers. If your carrier doesn’t sell wildfire insurance, they will be able to help you find a carrier that does.
What Is the Fair Plan?
FAIR stands for Fair Access to Insurance Requirements. This plan is a program that California has mandated that ensures all individuals who live in high-risk areas receive sufficient access to the insurance products they need. If they have not been able to find sufficient coverage through traditional plans, they can apply for coverage through the FAIR plan.
Preventing Wildfire Damage
While you can’t prevent wildfires, you can minimize your risk. Eliminate overgrown vegetation around your home and property. Don’t stack firewood near your home or other buildings. It’s also important that you store gas or propane grills/tanks 15 or more feet away from your home. Have a metal roof put on your home and use non-flammable materials like stucco or brick to replace other types of siding.
Cover Wildfire Damage with Remland Insurance
When you need to learn more about your wildfire risk, call the agents at Remland Insurance Services. Our agents have worked with many types of insurance for several years. We can help you find the answers you need to get the coverage you want.
