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State insurance outreach: Firewise communities and catastrophe models to improve wildfire insurance availability
Summary
A Department of Insurance outreach analyst briefed the council on the "Safer from Wildfires" framework, catastrophe-model risk scoring, and Firewise community criteria (8–2,500 dwelling units) aimed at improving availability and affordability of insurance in high-risk areas.
An outreach analyst from the California Department of Insurance briefed the council on the department’s sustainable insurance strategy and the "Safer from Wildfires" framework designed to improve insurance availability and resilience.
The analyst explained that insurers can now use catastrophe models and community mitigation actions in risk scoring, and encouraged communities to pursue Firewise designation. She described the Firewise eligibility range and mitigation steps: "in order to become a firewise community, you do have to begin with a minimum of 8 dwelling units, and you can't be any bigger than 2,500 units," and said communities that complete mitigation plans can access grant funding and improved insurability. The department also offers consumer alerts and in-depth presentations and provided a contact number for policy assistance.
Brenda (Department of Insurance liaison) emphasized that mitigation and community resilience are prerequisites to addressing affordability because availability must be restored first. She offered to share presentation materials and resources for Firewise certification and mitigation guidance.
