Homeowners in wildfire-prone areas can earn
insurance discounts through IBHS certification program
LOS
ANGELES, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wildfires are
posing ever-increasing threats to communities around the country
and Mercury Insurance is partnering with the Insurance Institute
for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) to help homeowners act before
disaster strikes. Through this collaboration, Mercury policyholders
in wildfire-susceptible areas may qualify for a discount on their
premiums by participating in the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home
certification program.
The certification program encourages homeowners to make
meaningful, real-world improvements to harden their homes against
wildfire risk. Mercury customers who earn the Wildfire Prepared
Home designation may be eligible for a discount on the Catastrophe
Fire portion of their premium. Homeowners should contact their
Mercury agent for eligibility and program details.
"IBHS offers homeowners the ability to certify their homes
against severe weather risks specific to their area, including
wildfires. The program is based on more than 10 years of carefully
executed research," said Kelly
Butler, VP and Chief Underwriting Officer at Mercury
Insurance. "Many of Mercury's customers reside in California, and preparedness is the key to
protecting our homes and communities — wildfires don't wait, and
neither should we."
According to IBHS, 4.8 million U.S. homes are identified as high
or extreme risk of wildfire, with more than 2 million located in
California. Losses from wildfires
have added up to $5.1 billion in just
the past 10 years. IBHS believes that improving building codes and
installation practices will result in reduced losses.
IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Certification
To get your home IBHS certified, you'll need to participate
in either the FORTIFIED or Wildfire Prepared Home
program. While FORTIFIED focuses on general severe weather
resilience, Wildfire Prepared Home is specifically designed to
address wildfire threats through proven mitigation
strategies.
Steps for Wildfire Prepared Home certification include:
- Apply: Register on the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home
portal and pay the application fee.
- Inspection: An IBHS-authorized evaluator will conduct an
external inspection of your property and take photographs.
- Compliance: If your home doesn't meet all requirements,
you'll receive a list of mitigation actions and an opportunity to
bring it into compliance.
- Ongoing Maintenance: You'll need to demonstrate annual
maintenance of your landscaping to retain the designation.
- Certificate: Once all of the requirements have been met,
IBHS will issue the appropriate certificate.
There are two levels of certification:
Wildfire Prepared Base – Requires defensible space within
5 feet of the home, preparing the home's exterior, and maintaining
the deck/covered porch and yard to prevent ember
ignition.
Wildfire Prepared Plus – Includes all Base-level
requirements plus an extra layer of home protection for flames and
radiant heat that is common with new home construction or exterior
home renovations.
All homes eligible for certification must fulfill the following
requirements:
- The applicant must be the homeowner
- Photos of all four sides of the home, showing the 0- to 5-foot
noncombustible zone, are required
- The home must be a single-family, detached house (no townhouse
or condos) with three stories or less
- The home must be in California
or Oregon
Applicants should bear in mind that all certifications are valid
for three years, and at the end of years one and two, each home
must be reinspected.
"The IBHS certification process allows homeowners to take a
series of actions that will meaningfully reduce their fire risk. If
the process seems overwhelming at first, the best advice is to take
it one step at a time," said Mary Anne
Byrd, Communications Director at IBHS. "We are here to help
applicants every step of the way."
About Mercury Insurance
Headquartered in Los Angeles,
Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier
offering personal auto, homeowners, and renters insurance directly
to consumers and through a network of independent agents in
Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New
Jersey, New York,
Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in
Florida. Mercury also writes
business owners, business auto, landlord, commercial multi-peril
and mechanical protection insurance in various states.
Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value
for their insurance dollar by pairing ultra-competitive rates with
excellent customer service, through nearly 4,100 employees and a
network of more than 6,500 independent agents in 11 states. Mercury
has earned an "A" rating from A.M. Best, as well as "Best Auto
Insurance Company" designations from Forbes and Insure.com. For
more information visit www.MercuryInsurance.com or follow
the company on Twitter or Facebook.
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SOURCE Mercury Insurance