What insurers look for on your house

Insurers look at the whole house, not just the first 5 feet. Walk around yours with this one list.

The state Zone 0 rule is not law yet. Insurers and IBHS already use their own lists.

Under each line it says which list asks for it. Ask your insurer which list it uses.

0 of 17 done

The first 5 feet

Why and how: The first 5 feet

Clear mulch, firewood, leaves and debris.State draft, FAIR Plan, IBHS
Remove shrubs and anything stored under decks.State draft, FAIR Plan, IBHS
Decide on low plants and a short lawn. The state draft lets them stay. IBHS does not.IBHS Essential
Make fences and gates within 5 feet noncombustible.FAIR Plan

Bottom 6 inches of the walls

Why and how: The bottom 6 inches of the walls and flashing

Put noncombustible material on the bottom 6 inches of every outside wall. Check above decks and patios, and at deck posts and stair bases.Insurers, IBHS Essential. Not in the state draft

Vents

Why and how: Vents and screens

List every opening: attic, crawl space, eave, dryer vent, skylights and chimney.
Cover each with mesh no bigger than 1/8 inch, or use vents tested to ASTM E2886.State list, FAIR Plan, IBHS

Roof and gutters

Why and how: Roof Why and how: Gutters and eaves

Find out what your roof covering is. Class A is asked for. IBHS does not accept wood shake or shingle.State list, FAIR Plan, IBHS Essential
Keep leaves and needles off the roof.
Clear the gutters before fire season. Gutters and downspouts should be metal or another noncombustible material.IBHS Essential
Check whether your eaves are enclosed.State list, FAIR Plan

Decks

Why and how: Decks and under-deck screening

Clear everything from under the deck and store nothing there.State draft, State list, FAIR Plan, IBHS Essential
If the deck is 4 feet or less high, enclose the sides with 1/8 inch mesh.IBHS Essential. Not in the state draft

Windows and doors

Why and how: Windows and doors

Count your windows and note any single pane glass. Multi-paned windows or working shutters are on the lists.State list, FAIR Plan

Siding and gaps

Why and how: Siding Why and how: Gaps over 1/8 inch

Keep siding that is in good shape and fix damaged boards.
Replace siding only if you are going for IBHS Enhanced. Fiber cement is on its list.IBHS Enhanced
Look for gaps and damaged boards at siding joints, rafter tails and garage door edges. Replace damaged boards instead of caulking over them.Voluntary in San Diego

What is the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation?

Past the first 5 feet

Zone 0 is not the whole yard. The IBHS standard also covers 5 to 30 feet, at both levels:

Trees pruned up 6 feet, with 10 feet between crowns.
Shrubs spaced apart. Grass under 4 inches. Dead plants out.
Wood piles at least 30 feet from the house.
Propane tanks 30 feet away, or 10 feet away with 20 feet cleared around the tank.
Sheds and other buildings within 30 feet need their own protection. Enhanced wants them 30 feet away.

The IBHS standard asks nothing past 30 feet. California's separate defensible space rules go out to 100 feet. See the IBHS standard and CAL FIRE.

In Sonoma County? Home Ready Sonoma has a tool that maps the 5, 30 and 100 foot zones on your lot.

What we do not know

Each insurer decides what it checks and what it accepts. Their own underwriting rules are not public. These pages use public sources only: the state's discount list, the FAIR Plan's list and the IBHS standard. Ask your insurer which one it uses.

Where each list comes from

State discount listCalifornia's list of wildfire safety work that insurers must offer discounts for. Amounts vary by insurer, and a lower premium is not guaranteed.
FAIR PlanThe FAIR Plan's 12 wildfire discounts. All 12 together can take up to 16.4% off the wildfire part of a dwelling fire premium.
IBHS EssentialThe base level of the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home standard, a program separate from the state and FAIR Plan lists. It focuses on embers. The 2025 standard document calls it Base.
IBHS EnhancedThe higher level. It adds protection from flames and radiant heat. The 2025 standard document calls it Plus.
State draftThe Board of Forestry's August 2026 Zone 0 draft. Not law yet.
San DiegoSan Diego's Zone 0 guidelines for existing homes. Each page says whether a point is required or voluntary there.

Mulch, plants, fences and sheds are on the is it allowed pages. Discounts and risk scores are on the insurance page.