How to lower home insurance premiums and wildfire risks

Homeowners in the U.S. got new guidance to help them defend against increasingly frequent wildfires and associated rising insurance premiums.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a research nonprofit funded by insurers, announced it has developed the first-ever standard that can demonstrably lower a home’s risk of wildfire damage. To earn the Wildfire Prepared Home designation, homeowners have to meet a series of criteria — including, for example, clearing anything flammable like shrubs five feet around their homes — and pass an annual inspection.

The designation is based on the latest science and includes a list of concrete steps proven to reduce fire risk, such as including and adding fine mesh coverings to attic vents or outdoor decks to prevent the spread of embers and replacing old roofs made of cedar shingles with non-flammable material.

Read more at the Insurance Journal