Jennifer Howard used to pay about $11,000 a year to insure her West Marin County home through the California FAIR Plan and a difference-in-conditions policy. After years of wildfire mitigation work — new vents, gutter guards, enclosed eaves and a standing-seam steel roof — she landed a conventional insurance policy in early 2026, and her annual cost dropped to below $4,000.
“I'm saving $7,000 a year,” Howard said, according to The Press Democrat. Howard began her mitigation efforts after moving to West Marin County following the 2017 North Bay wildfires, when she was paying about $2,000 annually for insurance before costs spiked. She estimated that the final phase of work needed to win over a conventional insurer cost between $10,000 and $15,000, and she projected a payback period of roughly 1.5 to 2 years given her new savings.
Howard's fixes included removing vegetation near the structure, replacing vents, adding gutter guards, enclosing eaves, and installing the steel roof in 2020. The community also coordinated Firewise activities and shared information.
Another North Bay Family Escapes the FAIR Plan
Howard isn't alone. Phil Burton, who lives in Pope Valley northeast of Napa, had been paying more than $10,000 annually for FAIR Plan fire insurance on his family's 2,300-square-foot home. After the Burton family cleared the first five feet around the house, installed fire-resistant vents and gutter guards, and completed broader home-hardening work — spending about $10,000 beyond their own labor — they secured a conventional policy in 2026, with a Mercury policy that initially came in around $7,000.
Pope Valley includes roughly 150 properties and 400 residents, and the Pope Valley Fire Safe Council has been reaching out to owners of about 60 to 65 properties in the area, the report notes.
A State Pilot Program in Lake County
While Howard and the Burtons paid out of pocket, the California Wildfire Mitigation Program is covering costs for qualifying households elsewhere. The California Wildfire Mitigation Program stems from Assembly Bill 38, enacted in 2019, according to Cal OES and CAL FIRE.
In Lake County, North Coast Opportunities administers a demonstration project in the Kelseyville Riviera, an area selected for the pilot in 2021. Eligible homes must fall within the jurisdiction of the Kelseyville Riviera Community Association, and North Coast Opportunities says nearly 1,500 homes were prequalified within that area, with at least 70% of approved homesites required to be at or below moderate income.
The program provides free assistance to homeowners at or below moderate-income levels, with up to $40,000 in approved eligible measures. In the Kelseyville target area, 24 homes had been hardened, with about 300 households on an interest list.
Insurers Edge Back Into the Market
The mitigation push comes as the FAIR Plan, California's insurer of last resort, prepares to raise average statewide premiums by 29.1% for policies issued or renewed starting October 15, 2026 — a figure lower than the 35.8% increase the plan had originally sought. Mercury Insurance has committed to increasing its California homeowners policy count by more than 38,000 over the long term, including more than 6,000 additional policies in the first two years, with Mercury's Holly Sacks saying the company will help FAIR Plan customers transition to the admitted market, the news outlet reported.
Consumer advocate Amy Bach said greater insurance competition is providing some relief for property owners, noting that Allstate and State Farm are reopening for business in California, Farmers has loosened restrictions on its agents, and CSAA rewards homeowners who obtain an IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certificate. The California Department of Insurance reported that about 24,000 policies left the FAIR Plan during April and May, though it cautioned it could not confirm all of those shifted to admitted carriers.
Why Mitigation Doesn't Always Pay Off
Insurers’ treatment of wildfire mitigation can vary.
Marin County has grant programs for wildfire mitigation.
Financing and Training Programs Fill Gaps
Local groups are also trying to make mitigation more affordable. Redwood Credit Union is preparing unsecured loans of up to $25,000 for five- to seven-year terms at 6.99%, well below its regular unsecured-loan rate of 12.99%, and the rate could drop to 3.99% with philanthropic or private loan-loss support. Ember Ready, which is supported by the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority and receives about $700,000 annually for two years from the Marin Community Foundation, helps residents interpret wildfire inspections and complete home-hardening work.
Fire Safe Marin, meanwhile, spent about $215,000 on its Fire Safe Academy, an online contractor training course that takes just under five hours to complete. About one month after launch, the academy had enrolled 75 people, including 46 contractors, of whom 26 passed the course, according to the Press Democrat's reporting.
