NOTICE TO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS REGARDING FIREWISE

California has enacted “Safer from Wildfires” regulations that require insurance companies to recognize Firewise USA^® designated communities by providing discounts to property owners in those communities. 

NFPA processes Firewise USA applications and provides information on the communities that have earned that designation to companies that provide data to home insurers doing business in California. 

NFPA updates the boundary data for all communities in good standing in the Firewise USA program twice a year, in March and October. This information is then available to insurance companies through the data providers.

The Role NFPA Plays 

As people in California learn about the connection between Firewise USA participation and insurance, it’s important to realize how the program works and that the benefits of participation do not happen instantaneously. It’s also important to understand the role NFPA plays in this process. 

• Firewise USA recognition is a voluntary process for community-wide education and action. It is not recognition nor certification of action for individual properties. The process for communities to meet all the Firewise USA recognition criteria can take between six months and one year. 
• NFPA does not inspect, validate, or review information about specific addresses or homes. 
• NFPA is not a regulatory body nor an insurance company. NFPA cannot make determinations about specific addresses, nor can it contact insurance companies on behalf of consumers. It cannot provide data instantly to insurance companies. 
• NFPA invests significant resources in updating the boundary data twice a year, but depending on when a community is officially recognized, it could take up to six months for insurance companies to access the data showing that specific properties are within a Firewise USA boundary.

Recognizing the pressure that residents are facing around insurance costs and the value of Firewise USA in demonstrating wildfire risk reduction, NFPA is working to double the speed of collecting, validating, and transmitting the boundary data to its licensed partners. Quarterly updates of data provided to insurers are typical industry standard. Even with quarterly updates, though, it could still take up to three months for insurers to access the Firewise USA data.

What Can California Residents Do Now? 

For California residents facing insurance challenges who need to take immediate action, NFPA recommends contacting an insurer and/or a reputable, experienced insurance agent or broker to review your options. 

The nonprofit consumer organization United Policyholders offers free guidance on shopping in today’s marketplace and reducing your home’s chances of being damaged or destroyed in a natural disaster. You can also contact the California Department of Insurance for information on state insurance regulations.