Home insurance and defensible space: what carriers ask for

We are a tree service, not an insurance agency. What we can do is explain the work in terms of the zones fire agencies use, and give you the paperwork you ask for from our side.

What to ask your insurer

• Does the company assess vegetation or defensible space at my address?
• What does it want done, by when, and in which zone?
• Does it accept a fire district evaluation or a contractor's invoice as proof?
• Does completing the work change my policy or my premium? Do not assume it will.
• Is there a different process at renewal?

Work in the language of the zones

University of Nevada, Reno Extension's Living With Fire guide describes Zone 0 (0 to 5 feet), Zone 1 (5 to 30 feet) and Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet). Using the same words in your emails helps everyone talk about the same work. See what is defensible space.

What records should you keep of defensible space work?

Take before and after photos with dates, keep the estimate and invoice, and note the date of any fire district evaluation. Our estimates describe the work in plain terms. If your insurer wants something specific from us, tell us and we will see what we can provide.

What does defensible space do, and what does it not do?

After the Angora fire, TRPA reports that 75 percent of surviving homes in the burn area had some form of defensible space. That is evidence the work matters, not a promise about your house or your policy. The building matters too, so ask your agent which parts of the house the insurer looks at.

Trees and your policy

Trees also come up in storm claims. See does homeowners insurance cover tree removal, and our page on storm damage and insurance claims. We cannot say whether a claim will be paid.

Why we describe the work by zone, not by dollars

An insurer or an underwriter may ask what was done and when. Describing the work by zone and date, for example clearing combustible mulch and junipers from the first 5 feet or removing dead brush and ladder fuels between 30 and 100 feet, is clear and verifiable with photos. We do not make claims about what any insurer will accept, and we will not guess at your policy terms.

If you are shopping for coverage or renewing, give the agent your fire district's name and the date of any evaluation. If your carrier sends a notice about vegetation, read it closely, answer by the date given and keep a copy of everything you send.

Questions agents hear from owners

Owners often ask whether a one-time clearing is enough. Defensible space is maintenance: grass regrows, needles fall and shrubs grow back, so many owners put an annual spring cleanup on the calendar. Owners also ask whether a neighbor's untouched lot undoes their work. It does not undo it, but it does matter, and it is a good reason to talk to neighbors and your HOA or Firewise group. Your agent can say how the insurer views the surrounding area.

Next step

Start with the zones nearest the house, and ask the fire agency for an evaluation. See evaluations and chipping programs. When you are ready for an estimate, call 775.232.8243.