This year’s wildfire season is shaping up to be scary and very active. There have already been 97 fires in Colorado that have consumed 37,000 acres and the outbreaks in West Texas in the last week and a half scorched 103,000 acres threatening both Fort Davis and Midland while claiming 100 homes.
While it is true that fire protection is a standard clause in almost all homeowners policies, it’s a good idea to review the coverage annually and make sure it’s adequate for full replacement value. Wildfires leave nothing in their wake. It’s very much rebuilding from the ground up.
If you want additional fire coverage and live in a high risk area, be prepared to have to take some mitigation measures to qualify. This can mean anything from maintaining what’s called a “defensible space” around your home, or making improvements to the road leading into your property to ensure emergency vehicles can gain access.
At the same time that you’re reviewing the degree to which you’re covered against fire, take a look at the rest of the policy. Make sure you’re not paying to insure items you no longer own and that things you have recently acquired are included on your policy. The time to review your coverage is now, not when you see smoke on the horizon.