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Does Zone 0 affect my home insurance?
Yes, already. California requires insurers to offer a discount for a clear 5-foot zone around your home, even before the statewide Zone 0 rule is final. Doing the work does not guarantee a discount or coverage.
What insurers have to do now
Under the state's Safer from Wildfires rules, insurers must offer discounts for wildfire safety work. The list includes:
- a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around the house
- plants and debris cleared from under decks
- noncombustible material on the bottom 6 inches of the walls
- sheds and outbuildings at least 30 feet from the house
- a Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, closed eaves and upgraded windows
Your insurer also has to give you your wildfire risk score when you apply, before it renews or drops your policy, and when you ask after finishing work. It has to explain the score and how to lower it. You can appeal a score you think is wrong.
Source: California Department of Insurance. The Department keeps a list of insurers offering these discounts.
The FAIR Plan
Two of the FAIR Plan's 12 wildfire discounts are about the first 5 feet:
- Plants, debris, mulch and other things that burn cleared within 5 feet of the house.
- Only noncombustible materials in any improvements, including fences.
All 12 together take up to 16.4% off the wildfire part of a dwelling fire premium. The FAIR Plan does not publish what each one is worth.
Source: California FAIR Plan, for policies dated November 15, 2025 or later.
What it does not do
Each insurer sets its own rates and checks the work its own way. Meeting Zone 0 does not guarantee a discount, a lower premium or an offer of coverage.
What to do
Ask for your wildfire risk score
Ask your insurer or agent for the score and what would lower it.
Clear the first 5 feet
Check your yard for a short list of what to fix.
Keep proof
Take dated photos before and after. Your insurer may ask for proof or an inspection.
Ask again
Once the work is done, ask for an updated score and the discounts you now qualify for.
The photo tip is ours, not the state's. This site is not an insurance company or agent and does not sell or recommend insurance. For questions, call the Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357.
Sources
- Safer from Wildfires regulation: frequently asked questions, California Department of Insurance, September 2026
- Insurers currently offering wildfire mitigation discounts, California Department of Insurance
- Discounts for dwelling fire and commercial policies, California FAIR Plan, November 15, 2025
- Commissioner Lara urges Board of Forestry to finalize Zone Zero regulations, California Department of Insurance, October 15, 2025
- California sets first statewide Zone 0 wildfire standard, but compliance does not guarantee a discount, Insurance Business (trade publication), August 20, 2026 (not an official source)