"SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California moved Wednesday to become the first state to lower insurance costs for property owners who make improvements to reduce their fire risk, the state’s insurance commissioner said as wildfires again flared across the heat-stricken state.

But the pending regulation still allows insurers to drop property owners’ insurance entirely if they deem the site too risky, a consumer advocacy group said.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the regulation is the first in the nation requiring that insurance companies give premium discounts on residential and commercial coverage to customers who follow new insurance standards announced in February. They include having a fire-resistant roof, at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) of defensible space around a home and removing vegetation overgrowth."

Don Thompson reports for the Associated Press September 7, 2022. [2]