March is National Ladder Safety Month
Climate change is increasing wildfire activity as Texas continues to warm. The Congressional Research Service indicates an average of 61,410 wildfires each year and about 7.2 million acres impacted annually. Locally Texas A&M Forest Service shows that in 2023, Texas firefighters responded to 6,534 wildfires, a little more than half the previous year. The 2023 wildfires burned 204,441 acres across the state, compared with more than 645,000 in 2022.
With the change in environment, many areas in Texas are now at a higher exposure for wildfires or seasonal brush fire risk. It is not always possible to avoid the devastation of a wildfire, however, it is important to protect yourself financially by having adequate insurance to protect your home. Even just a few embers can cause a wildfire to spread to your home, deck, garage, and other parts of your property. Be sure to take appropriate measures to protect your home against these catastrophically destructive events.
Are wildfires typically covered by homeowners’ insurance?
Dwelling – A typical Texas homeowners insurance policy covers devastation and damage caused by fire, which includes wildfires or brush fires. In the event of a fire, your insurance carrier can pay to repair your home up to policy limits. However, if a large number of other homes in your area are being rebuilt simultaneously due to a widespread catastrophe loss, the cost of labor and materials will likely increase and that may exceed your dwelling coverage limit. Ask us to add an Extended Dwelling or increase the estimated replacement cost to help cover the difference.
Coverage may also include the Other Structures on your property such as a garage, fence, pergola, or toolshed. Condominium policyholders should check with their by-laws or underlying lease to determine their personal insurance responsibilities versus those of the association.
Your belongings – A homeowners, condo, or renter policy also insures your belongings for loss or damage to fire. In addition, the policy covers theft or vandalism in the event of looting in the wake of a wildfire. If you have a basic landlord policy Texas Dwelling Form 1 for your investment properties it may not cover vandalism without first adding the coverage by endorsement. Ask us about this important coverage.
A place to live – If your home has been declared uninhabitable by a wildfire, or you are evacuated due to a wildfire, your homeowners, condo, or renters’ insurance may reimburse you for any additional living expenses (ALE) incurred. Expenses could include a hotel room, rental, or meals out.
Your vehicle – The comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy protects your car against fire damage as well as hailstorms and vandalism. This coverage is optional in Texas, although, required if you carry a loan or lease on your vehicle.
The amount of your insurance payout is determined by the terms and limits of your policy and the coverage you select. As a reminder, it is a good idea to keep an updated home inventory and keep copies of important papers offsite (for example, in a safe deposit box or secure cloud storage) so you don’t lose them to fire.
Bundle your insurance policies under one package and save. The more policies you have with our insurance company, the more you save. Ask us to quote your home, condo, auto, boat, camper, scooter, or umbrella, and maximize your quote discounts.
Resources
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf
https://www.iii.org/article/insurance-for-wildfires
https://www.wri.org/insights/global-trends-forest-fires
*Descriptions of insurance products and packages are meant to offer general ideas only, are necessarily brief, and are subject to policy provisions, limits, deductibles, exclusions, and conditions that can only be expressed in the policy itself. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of your policy prevail
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