Fire Away: Wildfires in SoCal and the Need for Fire Insurance

It is an all too familiar story on the nightly news: a fast-moving, wind-driven brush fire is threatening lives and property in Southern California. On June 12th, 2018 it was in Irvine, and the brush fire shut down the northbound lanes of the 241 toll road. Helicopters were in the area dropping water on the fire. Initial reports from the air estimated it had already burned 155 acres, but firefighters say the fire had the potential to burn up to 500 acres of property. From a long distance away drivers could see a large plume of smoke.

Familiar Story

Just last December, Southern California residents were on guard or fleeing as wildfires spread through Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The record-setting wildfires were devastating residential communities, as developers have expanded further into land prone to natural disaster by fire. Thousands of people had to evacuate and freeways like the 405 were closed for a time. This fire event reached from just south of Santa Barbara to the Mexico border.

California wildfires are unusual in that they come late in the year. The annual wildfire activity is largely due to extremely dry conditions in the region and state’s Santa Ana winds. Between October and March, warm air blows in from the desert, leading to blustery days. The wind dries out vegetation, making it a tinderbox. The strong winds can also knock down trees and power lines. A strong wind can easily send a wildfire into your neighborhood, and with very little notice.

Hot Angeles

According to the National Weather Service, 2017 was the second hottest year on record for Los Angeles when measured halfway through the year. If you live in Los Angeles, you know you didn’t need an umbrella in 2017: LA received just 0.11 inches of rainfall from the beginning of October, which is typically LA’s wet season. That means a lot of tree, shrubs and bushes that are easily burned.

So I Want to Be Protected: What Do I Do?

Most homeowners’ insurance policies cover fire damage, but if you are considered to live in a high-risk area, for example near a canyon, you may need to pay extra for additional coverage. When entire communities are devastated, like we saw in late 2017, your home replacement dollars might not go far enough, because costs will soar for everything from materials to labor. After the 2017 wildfires, many insurers racked up billions of dollars in fire-related claims. Some stopped writing new policies…period.

Why Partners Direct

That’s why it is important to get expert advice to find the right homeowners insurance policy. It can cover both damage to your property and liability. We can seal the gaps in your insurance coverage. What makes Partners Direct unique is that we are a broker for the major insurance companies, including:

Liberty Mutual
Nationwide
Hartford
CHUBB
Mercury

June 20, 2018/by Zac Cusac