Join us for an urgent update on the California homeowner insurance landscape and discover crucial strategies to protect your properties from the increasing risk of wildfires.

Recent developments from major insurance companies—State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers Insurance—reveal a suspension of new homeowner insurance policies in California due to the amplified threat of wildfires fueled by climate change.

This shift has significant implications for new buyers, who may face limited options and higher costs, as well as existing policyholders, who could experience rising premiums or non-renewal of their policies.

To navigate this changing landscape, we present a special podcast featuring Janet Ruiz, The Director of Strategic Communications for the Insurance Information Institute. Janet comprehensively explains the challenges faced by insurance carriers and provides practical advice for homeowners adapting to this new reality. In the coming weeks, we'll delve into wildfires and the evolving insurance market in California. 

We'll provide resources, connect you with experts, and answer your burning questions. Tune in to our podcast for essential insights on mitigating wildfire risk in California. Let's safeguard our homes and communities from the growing threat of wildfires.

The All Things Wildfire podcast welcomes a guest speaker, Mr. Paul Tanner, an experienced insurance broker. He shares his unique journey in customer service, beginning with his first job at a busy par-three golf course where he learned to read people's mannerisms and cater to their diverse needs. He then worked at a Mercedes store, where he was tasked to evaluate and enhance customer service. This included paying attention to small details about customers' lives to provide personalized service, such as leaving golf balls or cigars in their loaner cars based on their interests.

Upon transitioning to the insurance industry, he was surprised to find a lack of high-level service even among high net worth and celebrity clients. He shared that many clients were uninformed about their insurance policies, revealing a lack of consultation and conversation with their brokers. He emphasized the importance of understanding clients' risk tolerance and tailoring policies accordingly. He gave an example of a CFO who had a $200,000 gap in coverage, emphasizing the need for brokers to thoroughly review policies and not shy away from pointing out gaps and potential risks to their clients.

The discussion revolves around the complexities of the insurance market and the changing dynamics due to wildfires. The speaker emphasizes the importance of due diligence, continuous communication, and maintaining a solid relationship with the client.

A significant part of the conversation is dedicated to the parallels between insurance and construction, client comfort with higher deductibles, and the role of preventative measures in reducing wildfire risks. The rising carrying cost of insurance and its impact on the housing market is also discussed. Towards the end, the importance of the role of brokers in securing insurance and the challenges they face is highlighted.

Resources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-tanner-44ba11195/

Thank you for joining us on the journey of fighting wildfires. We understand that we are in a constant battle with mother nature and things seem hopeless when we have to evacuate, leave our homes, and not know what we will come back to. 

On our podcast, we bring experts to educate homeowners, communities, and businesses on what they can do against wildfires. Our team consists of wildfire prevention specialists, retired fire captains, and fire marshals. 

If you're trying to get educated, find a solution to the wildfires, and do everything you can for your property then you have arrived at the right place!

The podcast discusses innovative solutions to combat wildfires, which are becoming increasingly common due to climate change. Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO of Dryad Networks talk about early detection technology and how it can be used to prevent the spread of wildfires. They also discuss the need for collaboration among inventors, visionaries, and founders to develop solutions to the problem. Carsten suggest combining ultra-early detection with an automated response system, such as a drone that can detect and put out a fire within 10 minutes. They also talk about the importance of battery life and payload capacity for drones to make them effective in preventing wildfires

Show notes:

One of the key advantages of Dryad's technology is its ability to detect fires during the smoldering phase, which can last for several hours before an open flame erupts. This phase is often difficult to detect with traditional methods, such as satellite images or cameras. Dryad's sensors can detect fires during this phase, preventing them from becoming large and dangerous.

Carsten has a wealth of experience in the telecommunications industry, having worked on LTE, 4G networks, mobile email, and synchronization over the past 25 years. He has used this experience to create a technology that can make a real difference in preventing wildfires and protecting our forests.

Thank you for joining us on the journey of fighting wildfires. We understand that we are in a constant battle with mother nature and things seem hopeless when we have to evacuate, leave our homes and not know what we will come back to. 

On our podcast, we bring experts to educate homeowners, communities, and businesses on what they can do against wildfires. Our team consists of wildfire prevention specialists, retired fire captains, and fire marshals. 

If you're trying to get educated, find a solution to the wildfires, and do everything you can for your property then you have arrived at the right place!

The podcast is introduced by O.P. Almaraz who introduces two guests, Jeff Emery from Perimeter Solutions and Rich Snyder with Allied Disaster Defense. Jeff is the president of the Global Fire Safety at Perimeter Solutions, which is a company that manufactures PHOSCHEK, a fire retardant used to fight wildfires. Rich Snyder has been spraying fire retardant from the ground for 30 plus years and is seen as an innovator in the field. The guests provide some background on their companies and their mission to protect firefighters and enable them to protect property and save lives. The discussion revolves around the use of PHOSCHEK and its effectiveness in fighting wildfires. The podcast host also highlights the role of the firefighters on the ground and their heroic efforts.

Show notes:

The host introduces the guests and discusses how he sees fire retardant as a superhero that comes in to help with wildfires. Jeff Emery talks about the brand name of the fire retardant, PHOSCHEK, and how it is used to protect firefighters on the ground. He emphasizes that the real superheroes are the firefighters on the ground who do the hard work day in and day out.

Jeff Emery gives some background information on Perimeter Solutions, the company that manufactures PHOSCHEK, and how their mission is to protect firefighters and enable them to protect property and save lives. He mentions that the company is celebrating its 60th anniversary of the first commercialization of PHOSCHEK.

The host introduces Rich Snyder, who has been applying fire retardant from the ground for over 30 years. Rich talks about his experience with ground application of fire retardant. He also mentions that he has built a couple of PHOSCHEK tenders over the years.

The podcast ends with the host thanking the guests for sharing their expertise and experiences on fire safety and the use of fire retardants to protect lives and property from wildfires.

Thank you for joining us on the journey of fighting wildfires. We understand that we are in a constant battle with mother nature and things seem hopeless when we have to evacuate, leave our homes and not know what we will come back to. 

On our podcast, we bring experts to educate homeowners, communities, and businesses on what they can do against wildfires. Our team consists of wildfire prevention specialists, retired fire captains, and fire marshals. 

If you're trying to get educated, find a solution to the wildfires, and do everything you can for your property then you have arrived at the right place!

In this episode, our guest speaker, Grant Staking, from The Greenspan Company Adjusters International, shares insights on the insurance claims process and how homeowners can navigate through it successfully. Grant is an advocate for victims of large insurance claims. His team helps prepare, present and negotiate in optimizing their claim. The discussion covers the following key points:

• The importance of understanding the insurance policy and the coverage it provides.
• The role of insurance adjusters and how they assess damage to determine the value of a claim.
• The need for proper documentation to support a claim, including photographs and estimates from contractors.
• The challenges of negotiating with insurance companies and the strategies used by claims professionals to maximize the value of a claim.
• The concept of "soft costs" and how insurance companies may push back on claims related to these costs.
• The impact of a long claims process on homeowners, including the loss of use of their property and the need for temporary housing.
• The importance of leveraging experience and technical skills to get the best outcome in an insurance claim.

Overall, this episode provides valuable information for homeowners who may be going through the insurance claims process, as well as insights for anyone who wants to better understand the insurance industry.

Thank you for joining us on the journey of fighting wildfires. We understand that we are in a constant battle with mother nature and things seem hopeless when we have to evacuate, leave our homes and not know what we will come back to. 

On our podcast, we bring experts to educate homeowners, communities, and businesses on what they can do against wildfires. Our team consists of wildfire prevention specialists, retired fire captains, and fire marshals. 

If you're trying to get educated, find a solution to the wildfires, and do everything you can for your property then you have arrived at the right place!

We are excited to announce the latest episode of the All Things Wildfire podcast, where we dive into the world of wildfire protection and property safety! In this brand-new episode, our host O.P. interviews Rich Snyder, a firefighter with 36 years of experience in various roles, including fire marshal, engine captain, and station captain.

Show Notes:

• Host O.P.  is joined by special guest Rich Snyder, a 36-year veteran of the fire service with experience as a fire marshal, engine captain, and wildland engine boss.

• Rich discusses his experience with long-term fire retardant use at fire stations, a method that began at the Rose Bowl in 1990 as an experiment by the Forest Service.

• The application of fire retardant was used to protect the community from stray fireworks during the 4th of July celebrations.

• Rich explains how he helped organize and develop a more scientific approach to applying fire retardants, which he has been doing for over 30 years.

• Fire retardants have been proven effective in preventing the spread of fires in various situations, including cases of vehicle fires near brush and incidents involving stray fireworks during the 4th of July.

• Overall, the episode explores firefighting techniques and the use of fire retardants to protect properties and communities from wildfires.

Thank you for joining us on the journey of fighting wildfires. We understand that we are in a constant battle with mother nature and things seem hopeless when we have to evacuate, leave our homes and not know what we will come back to. 

On our podcast, we bring experts to educate homeowners, communities, and businesses on what they can do against wildfires. Our team consists of wildfire prevention specialists, retired fire captains, and fire marshals. 

If you're trying to get educated, find a solution to the wildfires, and do everything you can for your property then you have arrived at the right place!

Seth is the CEO of the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council, which works on the border of Santa Cruz County and San Mateo County with other FireSafe councils. He is a professional who leads the way for FireSafe councils and has been involved with multiple FireSafe councils, but very few have as much activity as he does. The wildland urban interface (WUI) is often depicted as a house in the forest, but it is actually a heavily populated area with neighbors five feet away.

The wildland urban interface is a combination of urban downtown San Jose and rural areas and is a high-risk area for wildfires. The Santa Clara County FireSafe Council works with other FireSafe councils on the border of Santa Cruz County and San Mateo County.

The WUI is growing in California, and it's not in the proverbial forests. It's in suburban areas that tend to meet up where the vegetation also kind of crisscrosses, and that's the biggest challenge that we see and that we work on.

When the FireSafe Council opportunity opened up, he thought it would be a great fit for me to help them be more creative.

Seth said this problem is not only a technology solution but a combination of tech plus practical application with boots on the ground.

Silicon Valley savvy means developing other revenue streams besides donations and funding typical philanthropic work.

As we looked at the strategy, we decided to become a deeper, more significant partner to our clients, which included municipalities, local towns, and individual homeowners.

Technology is helping to lead the way in reassessing how California prices insurance, by using historic catastrophe models to better determine if a risk is mitigated enough to write a policy.

In this episode, we are joined by Steve Hawks, who has dedicated over three decades to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). Steve's impressive career began as a firefighter and eventually led him to serve as the Assistant Deputy Director of CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal's Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation and Fire Engineering and Investigations Divisions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resource Management from Humboldt State University and has served on various CAL FIRE Incident Management Teams for 13 years. After retiring in December 2022, Steve returned to the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division and has also taken on the role of Director of Wildfire Policy for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) team. During our conversation, Steve shares his insights on community wildfire preparedness and mitigation strategies, including defensible space home hardening, fuel reduction projects, grant funding, and other programs implemented by CAL FIRE's Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division. He also provides a detailed analysis of the impacts of Assembly Bill 38 on homeowners living in high fire hazard zones, which mandates defensible space compliance inspections and proof of passing. Join us as we dive deep into the world of wildfire preparedness and mitigation with Steve Hawks. You can listen to the episode on our website, or on your favorite podcast platform, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. And don't forget to subscribe to our show and follow us on social media to stay up to date on all things wildfire. Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy this episode.

In this podcast episode, Tim Bauer, Senior Vice President at Allied Restoration Services, discusses the challenges faced by brokers, insurance companies, and family offices when it comes to insuring high-net-worth homes in California. The insurance market has become very hard due to major wildfires in recent years, resulting in increased premiums and non-renewals for homeowners. Some homeowners are choosing to self-insure with risk mitigation, while others are turning to the California Fair Plan, which offers reduced limits and exclusions that limit recovery for rebuilding homes. One significant exclusion is smoke mitigation, which is essential after a fire, as every property affected by a wildfire is also impacted by ash and soot.

The conversation discusses the challenges of obtaining wildfire insurance coverage in California, particularly with the increasing prevalence of wildfires. The use of non-admitted carriers is explored, and while these carriers offer more coverage options, they can be more expensive and have limitations. Homeowners must take steps to reduce their risk and make their homes more insurable, and brokers must ensure that clients understand what they are purchasing. The episode concludes with the importance of taking measures to prevent a claim from occurring and the traumatic impact of experiencing a house fire.

We are excited to have structural engineer Dr. Anne Cope from IBHS Research on the show today. IBHS Research is part of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a 501 (C) nonprofit scientific research and communications organization. 

Anne is the Chief Engineer at IBHS, where she leads the development of research programs to improve structural performance during natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and thunderstorms. She also oversees the implementation of research findings and building codes and standards.

This show is for you if you are ready to take control of your wildfire preparedness. We cover the science behind keeping homes safe and how small steps can make your home safer and more resilient. Anne also explains why this is important from a homeowner and insurance perspective. She talks about upcoming regulations that should result in insurance incentives for homeowners and shares how anyone can get started in incremental steps.  

Highlights:

• [00:57] Dr. Anne Cope is a structural engineer at the IBHS Research Center. They do research about wildfires, wind, rain, hail, and more. 
• [01:43] She grew up studying the impact of wind on structures. Fortified is a program and construction standard to reduce damage to homes developed from years of engineering judgment and testing. 
• [02:09] The secrets for keeping houses together in the wind are the connections. The roof needs to stay connected to the walls.
• Embers need to be kept out during a fire. It's all about the details. 
• [04:39] IBHS is funded by the insurance industry similar to the way crash dummies are funded by the insurance industry. They're looking for cost-effective workable solutions that will make their homes and communities safer.
• [06:02] Insurance companies have been hit badly by wildfires. Companies like IBHS can help lead the pack in finding solutions to make communities more resilient. 
• [07:50] Wildfire prepared home. You can find solutions to wildfire prepare your home at WildfirePrepared.org. There is a designation you can get in California. 
• [09:20] Insurers are looking for solutions and ways for home owners to differentiate the safety of their homes. They'll begin to offer incentives for homeowners who do things to reduce their risk. 
• [11:57] Homeowners can take control of their own situations having a wildfire prepared home.
• [16:16] Safer from Wildfires is a California interagency partnership to help protect homes and businesses from wildfires. 
• [17:02] Take advantage of fireproofing your home and then talk to your insurance agent about finding a good solution for your home and situation. 
• [17:38] We aren't powerless against wildfires. The science that Wildfire Prepares uses is designed for single family homes, but it can be adapted for businesses too. 

• IBHS Research Center
• Wildfire Prepared
• Safer from Wildfires