Residents in the mountains have been faced with non-renewals for their policies

Since April of last year, insurance companies have been dropping homeowner policies in California. In the Frazier mountain region, it's been especially difficult for some residents.

• Wildfires pose another threat in the long-term for homeowners– especially in the mountains.
• Residents tell me insurance companies are no longer renewing their insurance because of fire zones.
• Avery Elowitt with 23ABC reached out to Farmers Insurance to see why California is having trouble getting insured.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Throughout the state, many people are struggling to renew their homeowners insurance.

“...if you can’t insure it, you can’t sell it,” said Brad Graves, a resident in Frazier Park.

Graves says he felt blindsided when his insurance company did not renew his homeowners policy.

“When they sent me the official notice, it didn’t state why,” said Graves. “[I was] fighting tooth and nail through the state insurance commission.”

Following multiple back-and-forth emails with his insurance company, Graves said he was missing a new requirement– the Wildfire Preparedness Certificate.

But by the time he got this answer, it was too late.

“The cost and timing to get that, it just wasn’t feasible,” said Graves. “And the letter stated they would reconsider, so it was no guarantee.”

Graves said he was fortunate enough to get an out-of-state insurance plan– at an increased rate.

“My homeowners’ [insurance] was $1,250. And I was willing to pay more, but I think they’re just trying to weed out people one by one.”

Now, he is dealing with roughly a 200% increase.

Graves said his current out-of-state homeowners insurance costs about $3,600 a year, “... which I’m grateful for compared to what I heard other people are paying,” said Graves. “People are paying seven, nine, ten thousand dollars.”

I reached out to Farmers Insurance for a response. In an email, they wrote:

“While we decline [to] comment on individual underwriting decisions, we do review our coverage exposures on an ongoing basis in order to better manage our risk in the state. As part of this evaluation, we consider a variety of variables, which, on occasion, may include assessment of measures homeowners may have taken to meet the Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) Wildfire Prepared Home certification requirements. Individual homeowners should certainly make their own determination about whether investing in any risk mitigation measures like those outlined by IBHS makes sense to them, however, we do believe there are significant benefits – including potential insurance savings – to homeowners and to the larger community when people reduce risk. Those wishing to learn more about IBHS’s Wildfire Prepared Home program are encouraged to visit wildfireprepared.org/ [ wildfireprepared.org ].”

Meanwhile, Graves calls on help from local officials to help get this issue solved.

“I think our government and our politicians need to get something done and correct this problem with the insurance companies,” said Graves. “I [got] word they’re trying, but if anything gets changed, it’s not going to happen for a couple years.”

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