Getting Off the California FAIR Plan

Four pools of money — and "my house might burn" isn't one of them

Hardening your home is the only home improvement that pays you back through your insurance bill, every single year.

1. Mandatory discounts

Under the "Safer from Wildfires" regulation (California Code of Regulations, Title 10, §2644.9), your carrier must discount for qualifying hardening — required discounts range 4%–40%, with the largest going to the highest-risk homes. The FAIR Plan alone offers up to 16.4% off the wildfire portion of your premium.

2. Escape the FAIR Plan

Carriers are now required to write policies in wildfire areas — and they pick the documented, hardened homes first. Getting back to a standard carrier is often worth thousands per year.

3. State grant money

California's new Safe Homes program (AB 888) will help pay for fire-safe roofs and the 5-foot ember zone for qualifying homeowners. Assessed homes are ready homes when the portal opens.

4. Resale & compliance

Selling in a high fire-hazard zone now requires defensible-space documentation (AB 38) — and the new statewide Zone 0 rule puts ~2 million homes on a hardening clock. Early movers avoid the rush.

Hardening packages

Every package includes the Insurance Discount File™ — dated photos, receipts, an inspection letter, and the completed 12-point checklist. Carriers honor paperwork, not effort. Financing available through Wisetack on every tier.

Bronze — Discount Ready

~$6,000

Zone 0 ember-resistant conversion (0–5 ft)
Ember-resistant (WUI-listed) vent replacement
Fire-rated gutter guards
Combustibles relocated 30+ ft
Insurance Discount File™

Financing available — soft-pull prequalification on the spot, no credit impact. Subject to credit approval; terms vary.

Silver — Hardened Home

~$18,000

Everything in Bronze
Enclosed eaves & noncombustible wall base
Window / shutter upgrades
Noncombustible fence transitions
Zone 1–2 defensible space work

Gold — Certified & Defended

~$40,000

Everything in Silver
IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification path — the standard major carriers are committing to write new policies for
Exterior wildfire sprinkler system
Annual re-certification visit

Honest fine print, up front: discounts apply to the wildfire portion of your premium and vary by carrier filing. In the foothills that's most of your bill. If you're in a low-risk zone or on a surplus-lines carrier, we'll tell you straight what applies and what doesn't — that's the point of the free assessment.

Founded by a 25-year volunteer firefighter

Fred Warder spent 25 years as a lifetime member of a volunteer fire company before building one of the Central Valley's established roofing and home services contractors.

Broker reviewing hardening documentation to re-shop a FAIR Plan policy — Hardening is step one. Re-shopping the policy with the file in hand is step two — and it is where the savings land.

Why a licensed contractor — not a landscaper

Most of what insurers actually discount is structural: WUI-listed vents, Class A roofing, enclosed eaves, noncombustible wall base, window upgrades. That's licensed-contractor work. Infinite Home Solutions holds B General Contractor and C-39 Roofing licenses (CSLB #1126804) and has served the Central Valley for over a decade.

Serving the Sierra foothill corridor: Auberry · Prather · Tollhouse · Shaver Lake · North Fork · Oakhurst · Coarsegold · Mariposa · and communities north through the foothills.

What "defensible space" actually means

Zone	Distance	What's required
Zone 0 — Ember-resistant	0–5 ft	Nothing combustible: hardscape or gravel, no vegetation or mulch, metal fence transitions. Now California regulation, phasing in for ~2M homes.
Zone 1 — Lean, clean & green	5–30 ft	Spaced plantings, no ladder fuels, tree limbs up 6–10 ft and 10 ft off the roof.
Zone 2 — Reduced fuel	30–100 ft	Thinning, spacing, grass to 4 inches — to 100 ft or your property line. Already law in most foothill areas; CAL FIRE inspects.
The structure	—	Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, eaves, wall base, windows, gutters, deck — where the biggest discounts live.

Questions foothill homeowners ask us

What is the California FAIR Plan?

The FAIR Plan is California's insurer of last resort for property owners who cannot get coverage from a regular carrier. It is funded by the insurers licensed in the state and mainly covers fire, so most owners pair it with a separate policy for everything else.

What does the California FAIR Plan cover?

The basic policy covers fire, lightning and smoke, with optional coverages for other named perils. It does not include liability, theft or water damage, so most homeowners add a difference-in-conditions (DIC) policy to fill the gaps.

How do I get off the FAIR Plan?

Harden your home and document it: Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, enclosed eaves and a cleared Zone 0. Then have a broker shop admitted carriers, which now must write policies in wildfire areas and choose documented, hardened homes first.

Why is the FAIR Plan so expensive?

It insures the highest-risk homes, covers mostly fire, and you usually need a second policy for everything else. Two policies for less coverage is why many homeowners pay more on the FAIR Plan than they did with a regular carrier.

Do I have to stay on the FAIR Plan?

No. It is meant to be temporary. Once your home is hardened and documented, you can apply to admitted carriers at any time and cancel the FAIR Plan when a new policy starts.

Stuck on the FAIR Plan? Hardening is the way off.