Wildfires’ Impact on Home Insurance Underwriting in Colorado

Many homes in Colorado are at high or even extreme risk of damage by wildfires. To determine if your property is eligible for coverage and to calculate your premium, we evaluate wildfire risk at two levels.

Level 1 - Community

Level 1 – Community scores reflect the probability of your community being affected by a wildfire, based on statistical models using historical wildfire events in your area. We look at:

• Distance to historical fire perimeters
• Distance to high wildfire potential areas
• Wildfire potential
• How much of the region is covered by forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, agriculture and other land and water types (National Land Cover Dataset)
• Slope of surrounding land
• Average temperature
• Average number of wildfires occurring each year and the total acreage involved
• Distance to the nearest fire station

Level 2 - Property

We base a Level 2 – Property score on the likelihood of your property being damaged in a wildfire. In this case, we consider:

• The density of vegetation around your property
• How crowded or built up your neighborhood is
• The year your home was built
• The roofing material on your home
• How much of the region is covered by forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, agriculture and other land and water types (National Land Cover Dataset)
• The slope, or degree of incline, of surrounding land

Both sets of calculations determine your property’s vulnerability on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being a low risk and 10 being a very high risk.

Wildfire mitigation and wildfire risk scores

Colorado law requires insurance companies to provide information about wildfire mitigation and wildfire risk scores.

Mitigation discounts and incentives

At this time, Amica does not offer premium discounts, incentives or other premium adjustments based on property-specific or community-level wildfire mitigation actions.

Property-specific mitigation actions may include measures such as defensible space or building hardening. Community-level mitigation actions may include fuel reduction projects or community wildfire preparedness programs. While these actions can reduce wildfire risk, they do not currently affect premiums, wildfire risk scores or classifications for policies issued by Amica.

You can reduce possible losses from wildfires by removing trees that overhang your property, clearing vegetation within 100 feet of your home and other buildings, and changing your roof to a more flame-resistant material. Visit our Reduce Your Wildfire Risk guide for additional recommendations that can help reduce wildfire risk and protect your property.

How to appeal your wildfire risk score or classification

If you believe your wildfire risk score or classification doesn’t reflect your property or community conditions, you have the right to appeal directly to us. 

What you can submit

Examples include:

• Photos showing defensible space or home-hardening work
• Receipts, inspection reports or certification reports, such as roof replacement or ember-resistant vent installation
• Community documentation, such as Firewise® recognition or records of government-led mitigation projects

How to submit your appeal

Email: Contact Customer Service - Submit a Message

Website: www.amica.com

Mail: 10375 Park Meadows Drive, Suite 650, Lone Tree, CO 80124-6865

What happens next

We’ll confirm receipt within 10 days and send a written decision within 30 calendar days of receiving your complete appeal.

If you disagree with our decision or believe we are not in compliance with Colorado law, you may contact the Colorado Division of Insurance (doi.colorado.gov or 303-894-7499). The Division oversees compliance with the wildfire regulations but doesn’t assign wildfire risk scores.

Questions? We’re Here to Help

You want the peace of mind of knowing your home and family are protected from wildfires and other risks. Amica representatives are standing by to help at 800-572-6422.