Are you financially prepared for a wildfire?

Janet Ruiz, Director of Strategic Communications of the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) co-delivered a presentation on May 6, 2020 on Wildfires and Insurance: Learn How to Prepare Financially during a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Firewise USA webinar. Targeted at homeowners in wildfire-prone communities, the webinar offered guidance on how to read a homeowner’s insurance policy, understand policy deductibles, and the factors to consider when determining how much insurance coverage to purchase. In addition, the Triple-I’s Ruiz and APCIA’s Nicole Mahrt-Ganley discussed how insurers assess a home’s risk to wildfires through sophisticated technology and on-site inspections as well as the ways an insurer calculates homeowner’s insurance premiums based on the home’s loss history, location, age, size, and its construction type and quality. They also provided tips on how to develop an inventory of a household’s personal possessions, steps to take if a homeowner’s insurance policy is non-renewed, and how to navigate the insurance claims process. The NFPA’s Firewise USA program provides a framework to help neighbors get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community.