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
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(opens in new window))
- 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
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(opens in new window))
- 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
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(opens in new window)
Website: www.amica.com(opens in new window)
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(opens in new window) 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
AMIC-10-061027