Mercury Insurance Teams Up with Insurance Institute for Business & Home (IBHS) Safety to Promote Wildfire Preparedness

Core Insights - The collaboration between Mercury Insurance and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) aims to provide homeowners in wildfire-prone areas with insurance discounts through the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification program [1][3][4] Group 1: Certification Program Details - The IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification program encourages homeowners to implement real-world improvements to protect their homes against wildfire risks [3][4] - Homeowners who achieve the Wildfire Prepared Home designation may qualify for discounts on the Catastrophe Fire portion of their insurance premiums [3][4] - The program is based on over 10 years of research and aims to reduce losses from wildfires, which have totaled $5.1 billion in the past decade [4] Group 2: Certification Levels and Requirements - There are two levels of certification: Wildfire Prepared Base and Wildfire Prepared Plus, with the latter providing additional protection against flames and radiant heat [5][6] - To obtain certification, homeowners must register, undergo an inspection, comply with mitigation actions, maintain their landscaping, and receive a certificate upon meeting all requirements [6][8] - All certifications are valid for three years, with re-inspections required at the end of the first and second years [8] Group 3: Market Context - Approximately 4.8 million homes in the U.S. are identified as high or extreme risk for wildfires, with over 2 million located in California [4] - The initiative reflects a growing recognition of the need for improved building codes and practices to mitigate wildfire risks [4]