The problem with insurance companies in California is that they have no incentive to help the homeowner mitigate wildfires. If you cannot get insurance because the provider leaves, or declines to provide coverage, you must go through the California FAIR Plan. The insurer of last resort. It is a non-voluntary association of carriers who will provide insurance, by law, but it will be extremely expensive.
The core issue, however, is that the FAIR Plan and its associated providers, have no incentive to help a homeowner mitigate their wildfire risk, which could help them get off of a FAIR plan and on to a more traditional insurance policy.
Worse, the software the insurance providers use to calculate risk does not take into account mitigation efforts. Instead it uses county level census data that lumps everyone in a county into the same wildfire risk score.
CA (un)FAIR Plan is required to periodically attempt to find and place policyholders with alternate carriers if there are options. They operate a clearinghouse to do this.
While the FAIR Plan is not required to help a policyholder mitigate their risk, it does offer up to 14.5% discounts off the wildfire peril premium for those who take mitigation actions prescribed by CA Department of Insurance (CDI), including being a member of a Firewise USA Community in good standing, screening vents with 1/8in metal mesh, etc.
All admitted carriers are also required to consider these mitigations actions when determining premiums; however, most of these rate filings have not yet worked their way through the overly bureaucratic CDI review process.
The bigger trend right now is the Wildfire Prepared Home program, which is the only science-based standard recognized by insurers.
No, that's not correct, otherwise SB 1060 would not be moving through the Senate. It's specifically direct insurance companies to consider mitigation.
You also missed the part that the mitigation is only for vegetation hardening. Nothing about structure specific hardening. Which, even if you did control for the vegetation, which AB38 addressed, you're still not guaranteed a discount.
The core issue, however, is that the FAIR Plan and its associated providers, have no incentive to help a homeowner mitigate their wildfire risk, which could help them get off of a FAIR plan and on to a more traditional insurance policy.
Worse, the software the insurance providers use to calculate risk does not take into account mitigation efforts. Instead it uses county level census data that lumps everyone in a county into the same wildfire risk score.
https://www.cfpnet.com/