Wildfire Defense Services – Is this Endorsement on Your Current Homeowners Insurance Policy?

By Amy Newland-Ward - American Family Insurance

Homeowners have financial incentives to complete fire mitigation around their property. Many insurance companies require wildfire risk clients to take precautions to protect their property, requiring on-site inspections and necessary mitigation that will reduce risk to their home and keep it insurable.

The higher your wildfire score, the more mitigation requirements you may have when discussing insurance. A building’s ability to survive a wildfire is based on roofing material and the quality of the “defensible space” surrounding it. Defensible space is comprised of these three zones.

• Zone 1 consists of the perimeter 0-5 feet around the home and other structures. This area should have little to no fire fuel or obstacles, including trees and shrubs. Consider installing hard surfaces like a concrete walkway or use a noncombustible product like rock and plan nothing within three to five feet of the home or business.

• Zone 2 extends 5-30 feet around the perimeter or to the property line. This area of fuel reduction reduces the intensity of approaching fire. Remove stressed, diseased, dead, or dying trees and shrubs. This trees to their crowns and prune tree limbs near the ground.

• Zone 3 extends from 125 feet to the property line. Trees should be well maintained and at least 10 feet apart. Separate groupings of shrubs and bushes as well.

Just like your home, the defensible space around it requires ongoing, regular maintenance to be effective. With so much on the line, it’s crucial to have a total fire protection plan in place before you need it. To help with that, America Family Insurance has partnered with Wildfire Defense Systems, Inc. (WDS) – a leader in wildfire risk management and response. WDS isn’t a replacement for the local fire department; instead, they work a step ahead to prepare your home and limit losses as much as possible. Before danger arrives, WDS may deploy a crew of fire protection contractors to you to check for any combustibles around your home and help get it prepared for a fire event. As a fire threat approaches, the WDS may take elevated measures to defend your home including covering it with a special Class A fire-resistant foam or add temporary home fire sprinklers to help halt an advancing fire. When it comes to cleaning up, WDS takes care of that too and will remove any non-toxic gels or chemicals used.

The new Wildfire Defense Services endorsement is automatically added to American Family Insurance homeowners insurance policies at no extra charge for our customers. Be sure to review your coverage with your agent on an annual basis to keep up with building costs, home remodels and personal property inventory.