A new bill in California offers hope to homeowners facing increasing insurance costs: Lawmakers are contemplating legislation to enhance protections.

State Senator Josh Becker, a Democrat from Menlo Park, has introduced a bill requiring insurance companies to factor in the state’s significant spending on wildfire mitigation and homeowners’ efforts to safeguard their properties, such as creating defensible space. According to Becker, insurers are currently not considering these factors when determining coverage and costs for homeowners.

Senate Bill 1060 mandates this consideration, although it does not require insurers to provide any discounts, only to acknowledge the work done to enhance property protection.

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association, representing insurance companies, noted that California already mandates insurers to incorporate these mitigation efforts into their coverage. The state will soon implement new regulations regarding this type of modeling.

Mark Sektnan, APCIA’s vice president for State Government Relations, stated, “Insurers support proactive wildfire mitigation efforts like home and community hardening to protect public safety and property,” adding that the bill presents several complexities that need to be addressed.

Sektnan’s statement further explains, “The California Department of Insurance already mandates insurers using risk models to incorporate specific mitigations and offer discounts to consumers. The Department is also working on regulations to approve new types of catastrophe models that consider wildfire risk and individual and community mitigation efforts. We believe the Department should be given the opportunity to finalize these regulations.”

In recent years, many homeowners in California have experienced increases in their insurance premiums to cover wildfire costs, and some have been canceled by their insurers.