Wildfire Insurance Requirements For Homeowners
Wildfire Insurance Requirements for Homeowners: What You Need to Know
As wildfires grow more severe and widespread, many homeowners in high-risk areas face a new and frustrating challenge: losing access to homeowners insurance. Insurance companies are tightening their guidelines, dropping coverage, or drastically increasing premiums for homes in wildfire-prone zones. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and there is something you can do.
At Colorado Wildfire Defence, we help homeowners meet insurance requirements through proactive wildfire mitigation and home hardening strategies. This blog will walk you through the current landscape, what insurers are looking for, and how you can protect your home and your coverage.
Why Insurance Companies Are Cracking Down
Wildfires are no longer rare, seasonal events. With hotter, drier conditions and more development in wildland-urban interface zones (WUIs), insurance companies are seeing skyrocketing wildfire-related losses. As a result, they’re under pressure to reduce risk. That means stricter underwriting policies, non-renewals, and new home coverage denials in high-risk areas.
Many insurers now require proof of wildfire mitigation to write or maintain policies. This includes structural improvements (home hardening), defensible space, and a long-term maintenance plan.
What Insurance Companies Look For
If you live in a wildfire-prone area, your insurance provider may require documentation or an on-site inspection. These are the most common things they look for:
Class A fire-rated roofing and fire-resistant siding
Vents screened with 1/8” metal mesh or ember-resistant designs
Clean gutters and roof edges free of debris
Cleared defensible space (especially in the first 5 feet around the home)
Decks and fences made of ignition-resistant materials
Ongoing maintenance or proof of regular wildfire risk management
Fire-resistant windows and doors
Insurers may request a professional wildfire mitigation assessment or require compliance with state or local guidelines, such as the Colorado State Forest Service’s Home Ignition Zone principles.
How Colorado Wildfire Defence Helps
We specialize in helping homeowners meet and exceed these insurance expectations. Our process begins with a comprehensive wildfire audit tailored to your property, assessing vulnerabilities based on local fire behavior, terrain, and materials. From there, we provide a customized mitigation plan that includes:
Structural hardening recommendations (roofing, siding, vent upgrades)
Maintenance services (gutter cleaning, flame retardant application, debris removal)
Documentation of improvements for insurance purposes
Re-inspections and follow-up visits to maintain compliance
We also stay up-to-date on insurance trends and state programs that support homeowners facing mitigation mandates.
Home Hardening Is Key
Most homeowners focus on landscaping, but insurance companies are placing increasing emphasis on home hardening. This includes:
Installing Class A roofing systems
Replacing flammable siding with non-combustible materials
Screening vents and sealing openings
Upgrading windows to double-pane tempered glass
Applying non-toxic flame retardant to vulnerable surfaces
Unlike general contractors, we specialize in fire-rated assemblies—not just materials—ensuring that your upgrades meet insurance and wildfire standards.
Maintenance Can Make or Break Your Policy
Insurance carriers want to see that wildfire mitigation is not a one-time project. Ongoing maintenance is just as important. That’s why we offer bi-annual service packages that include:
Gutter and vent cleaning
Yard and debris cleanup
Flame retardant reapplication
System checks and update reports
These visits help you stay protected and keep your insurance provider satisfied.
Don’t Wait Until You’re Dropped
Unfortunately, many homeowners wait until they receive a non-renewal notice or sky-high premium before taking action. By then, options are limited. Taking early, proactive steps gives you the best chance of keeping coverage and protecting your most valuable asset.
Schedule Your Wildfire Audit Today
If you’ve received a notice from your insurer or want to get ahead of wildfire risk, now is the time to act. Colorado Wildfire Defence is here to help you navigate the process with expert guidance, construction services, and ongoing support.
Contact us today to schedule a wildfire audit and get the documentation you need to secure your coverage.
