Finding Insurance for Foothill Residents

Now, in the aftermath of California’s series of massive wildfires including our own Butte Fire and Electra Fire, many homeowners in Amador communities are scrambling to find new fire insurance policies upon receiving notification that their policy is about to be dropped due to their home being located in a high risk area according to their insurance company.

However, there are still steps you may be able to take to secure insurance protection for your home. Below are some resources you may find helpful in understanding your right to be insured:

Find Your FireLine Score

What is a FireLine Score?

A FireLine score is the method insurance companies use to assess your home’s fire risk by utilizing satellite imagery to measure the fuels at your property address and surrounding areas. This score determines whether an insurance company will choose to provide you insurance or not. It also determines what price the insurance company will offer you coverage. Scores range from 0-30. The lower the score the better.

After the qualifications are met and the properties are scored determines the eligibility of what kind of policy can be provided. If it falls within a acceptable score a standard fire policy can be offered. If the score is over the acceptable number for a company, then a California FAIR Plan policy can be offered for fire, windstorm, hail, lighting and smoke damage coverage, and a wrap policy can be provided for liability, water damage, theft and collapse. Factors that go into calculating the Fireline score include:

• Access roads near your home
• Location of nearest fire hydrant
• Closest, fully-staffed fire station
• Road accessibility for Emergency Response apparatus
• Slope of terrain
• Wildfire history in your area

Click here for a current list of insurance companies throughout California that are offering discounts for being fire safe!