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Will Insurance Help You with Protection From Wildfires?

Wildfires can happen in nearly any state, but the risks are especially high in hot, dry areas with plenty of wind and fuel, such as Southern California. 

Most homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for natural disasters like wildfires. However, the coverage levels are often limited. If you live in an area prone to wildfires, insurers may choose not to provide coverage, or the costs of policies may be significantly higher. Homeowners insurance can offer limited protection against wildfires, which means they will compensate you for some of the damage after it occurs. However, for the best results after a fire, it is wise to choose a policy that incentivizes wildfire prevention or take steps to reduce or eliminate wildfire damage at the start. Below, BrandGuard Vents explains the types of insurance coverage available for wildfires and steps to protect your home before the first spark ignites.

Types of Coverage Related to Wildfires

The typical homeowners insurance policy will provide several types of coverage if a wildfire damages your home, including:

Liability coverage considerations: Each policy will have limitations in coverage amounts and a set deductible, meaning that you have to pay a certain amount out of pocket before your insurance coverage will kick in.

Dwelling and personal property coverage: This will cover damage to your home and attached structures like a garage, as well as your personal belongings like furniture, clothing, and electronics, up to the policy limits.

Additional living expenses (ALE): If your home is uninhabitable during the repair process, the policy may cover the costs of renting a home or staying in a hotel

Smokey forest showing the devastating effects of wildfires.
A row of suburban homes on a street int he evening with dark clouds in the background.

Does Insurance Cover Wildfire Prevention Measures?

Specific home improvements can help prevent damage during a wildfire while reducing the chances of spreading it to neighboring properties. This includes things like installing fire-resistant roofing, installing fire-rated vents, and creating a defensible area around your home that is free of dry vegetation, wood, furniture, outbuildings, and other items that could fuel a wildfire.

Some of these improvements may earn you discounts or lower premiums on your homeowners insurance policy. For example, under the Safer from Wildfires program in California, insurers are required to provide discounts for certain wildfire prevention measures, such as adding ember and fire-resistant vents, enclosing eaves, or creating a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around your home. Discounts will vary by insurance provider.

Steps To Ensure Your Policy Protects You From Wildfires

To ensure you are protected during wildfire season, evaluating your homeowners insurance policy is a good idea. Ensure that it provides wildfire coverage and that the coverage limits are enough to cover most of your home and belongings. If your limits are too low, contact your insurance provider to have them adjusted. You may pay more for your premium, but that ensures that you have sufficient coverage should a fire happen.

To ensure you are properly compensated for any losses that do occur, take a full inventory of your home, including furniture, electronics, clothing, and all other possessions. Document your belongings with photos and receipts, and update your inventory often to keep it current.

Additional Resources for Wildfire Protection

Each state has resources that help homeowners to prevent and recover from wildfires. In California, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire) offers a wide range of wildfire safety resources, as do other agencies like the California Department of Food and Agriculture and nonprofit organizations like the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force. The Ready for Wildfires program by CAL Fire is especially helpful, and after a fire has occurred, federal grants are often available through FEMA and other agencies, including Federal Management Assistance Grants.

By working with your insurance agent, you can ensure you have the proper coverage levels, take advantage of all the grants and programs you may be eligible for, and lower your premiums while enjoying greater peace of mind.

Wildfire burning across hills in California; a neighborhood in the distance near the fire.

Protect Your Home With Fire-Rated Vents

Wind-blown embers are one of the primary ways that wildfires spread. By installing ember-resistant vents from our team at Brandguard Vents, you can prevent these embers from entering vulnerable areas like the attic, where they can easily start a fire. Our fire-rated vents feature a patented design with a 20-year warranty, and we install vents for all areas of your home or business, including soffit vents, eave vents, gable vents, foundation vents, roof vents, and more. Our vents are CAL Fire listed and approved, fire tested to ASTM E2886/2912 specifications, and compliant with SB721 and SB326 standards.

Call BrandGuard Vents today to schedule your fire-rated vent installation anywhere in California or wildfire-prone areas of nearby states. We also ship fire-rated vents throughout the United States.

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