Home Fire Insurance in California: What You Need to Know to Stay Covered

What if you could give your biggest investment more protection when it needed it the most?

For many California homeowners, home fire insurance is a must-have. However, it’s easy to ignore this coverage when you have questions about how it works.

Some, for example, are anxious about whether such coverage is mandatory, and others just want to know what (and what isn’t) covered. Fortunately, this guide will help you learn everything you need to know, allowing you to tweak your standard homeowners insurance or get a new policy altogether before the next wildfire season.

The Flames of Necessity: Is Fire Insurance Mandatory?

The State of California does not require property owners to purchase home fire coverage, and it’s not required by the federal government, either. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about state or federal laws forcing you to buy any special coverage for your house.

However, unless your home is fully paid off, your mortgage lender may require you to purchase this coverage in order to protect their investment. Even if you don’t have to get this protection, though, it is highly recommended. Not only has the amount and severity of wildfires been dramatically increasing in recent years, but the wildfire season can now last for up to eight months out of the year.

Considering that your house may be at risk of wildfire damage for most of the year, it only makes sense to have the protection you need all year round.

Insurance Coverage: Understanding What’s Protected Against Wildfires

Some California homeowners policies cover wildfires, assuming that you don’t live in a high-risk area for these fires. If you do live in such an area, your carrier may place special limitations on the coverage or even exclude it altogether. If that’s the case, you should consider shopping around for policies from other carriers that might offer the protection you need.

Assuming that you are covered, your home insurance policy’s dwelling coverage will do the heavy lifting when it comes to repairing or rebuilding your house, though it is vitally important for you to have enough insurance to cover the costs. The rest of your policy can help cover things like sheds or detached houses (other structures coverage), damaged items (personal property coverage), and even the cost of checking into a hotel while your house is being repaired or rebuilt (loss-of-use coverage).

Strategies to Ensure Adequate Protection

The sad truth is that even those who live outside of wildfire zones may still be at risk. And that means that every homeowner in the state needs to have adequate protection before their biggest investment goes up in flames.

Fortunately, protecting your home against this threat is often as simple as knowing how to shop for the right policy. When you know what to look for, it is that much easier to get the fire insurance policy best suited to your needs.

Shopping for Safety: Finding the Right Fire Insurance Policy

You can get free homeowners insurance quotes with just the click of a button. That usually provides a starting point for discovering whether you can get the policy you want, ideally at a lower price than you are currently paying.

If you are having trouble getting a policy, you may apply for a California FAIR Plan policy, which offers coverage to select homeowners after their attempts to get private insurance have failed. You may also seek out surplus or excess lines carriers who sometimes offer policies that insurance companies in the state marketplace do not offer, including fire coverage for riskier homes.

Making a Claim When Disaster Strikes

No matter how robust your policy is, there is always a chance your home will be damaged by wildfire. When that happens, you need to know how the claim process works so that you can go ahead and start rebuilding your life.

Filing a claim is a multi-step process, and it may seem especially confusing when you and your family are still reeling from the damage. By learning more about the process now, you can ensure you are ready when the time comes.

From Smoke to Settlement: The Claims Process Explained

Before filing a claim, the first step is to take extensive photographs and video of the damage (both inside and outside the home) because such documentation helps you prove just how badly the fire affected your home. Next, make only small repairs as needed and hang onto the receipts, as you may be able to get reimbursement.

Your carrier will send an adjuster to inspect your property. This person will ultimately determine how much (or even if) your policy will pay out. By showing them the photographs and videos you took previously, you can make the best possible case for getting the payout you deserve.

We’re Here to Help

Navigating California’s challenging home insurance market can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. LBS Financial, in partnership with InsureOne, has access to multiple carriers, including Surplus Lines Carriers and the California FAIR Plan if necessary. Let us help you find the right coverage for your home. Call InsureOne to speak with an insurance professional at 800.939.6633.