California has become the first U.S. state to require homeowners selling older properties in high-risk wildfire zones to disclose not just a house’s vulnerabilities, but also steps taken to reduce those risks. The new mandate took effect in July and applies to houses built before 2010 – when the state strengthened building codes to withstand […]
Wildfire warnings accompany California’s older home sales Read More »
More than one in four U.S. homes — valued at $12.7 trillion — are exposed to severe or extreme climate risks, according to a report released Tuesday by Realtor.com. The analysis found that threats from flooding, hurricane winds and wildfires are increasingly reshaping housing markets, homeowner costs and insurance availability. “Climate risks are no longer
$12.7 trillion in US homes face severe climate risks Read More »
San Diego-based startup FutureProof is using artificial intelligence (AI) to change the way insurers assess catastrophe risk and set premiums, a shift that could make insurance both more affordable and easier to come by in disaster-prone regions. “FutureProof started with thinking about the build environment and everyone’s homes and businesses,” FutureProof co-founder and co-CEO Alisa
Tech startup offering AI-driven property level risk modeling Read More »
As Hurricane Erin becomes the first hurricane of the 2025 season, homeowners in many parts of the U.S. are already facing double-digit insurance rate hikes, and insurers in some areas continue to pull out altogether. In high-risk, catastrophe-prone regions, homeowners’ premiums are projected to rise more than 15% this year, according to Hub International’s 2025
Hurricane season arrives amid homeowners insurance hikes Read More »
A growing number of U.S. homeowners are finding their only property insurance option is their state’s last-resort program, according to a new report from the National Resources Defense Council (NDRC). Data shows extreme weather driving private insurers from high-risk areas and forcing premiums higher for everyone else. Last resort programs — known as Fair Access
Experts warn of ‘cycle of doom’ for last resort home insurance Read More »
A California wildfire recovery bill will be shelved until 2026, after a torrent of online conspiracy theories and confusion overwhelmed public discussion and policymaking, the Los Angeles Times reported. State Sen. Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica) announced that he would pause S.B. 549 — legislation that would have created a local authority to buy lots destroyed
California wildfire rebuilding bill paused until 2026 Read More »
In the wake of massive wildfires that destroyed 16,000 structures in Los Angeles County in January, hundreds of banks and mortgage companies agreed to let borrowers delay their monthly payments for 90 days, without demands for full repayment at the end of the forbearance period. Others simply pledged relief and relocation assistance. California’s state-run mortgage
Californians report unraveling mortgage relief after the fires Read More »
A nearly $900,000 insurance check from State Farm failed to clear for more than a week, raising alarm for an Altadena, California, homeowner still displaced by January’s wildfires. Amelia McDonald, a veteran insurance defense attorney, deposited a check for $876,354.07 on June 30. But by July 9, the funds were still unavailable. A Chase bank
‘Insufficient funds’ delay State Farm wildfire check for nearly $900K Read More »
As communities and organizations continue to reckon with the impact of the Los Angeles-area wildfires, the state is now stepping in with a new assistance program that will include impacted reverse mortgage borrowers whose homes were damaged or lost. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday announced that the CalAssist Mortgage Fund will launch on
New California wildfire homeowner assistance program includes reverse mortgages Read More »
Following the wildfires that devastated the Los Angeles area at the start of the year, a new study has emerged that suggests banks with physical locations are less likely to extend mortgages to impacted residents, while online lenders are continuing to be active. First reported by the The Washington Post, the study — published on
Study suggests banks are avoiding mortgages in California wildfire zones Read More »