Home / What insurers look for / Gutters and eaves
Do gutters and eaves matter for insurance?
Yes. The state and FAIR Plan lists both name enclosed eaves. IBHS Essential requires noncombustible gutters kept clear. IBHS Enhanced adds gutter covers and protected eaves.
The state Zone 0 rule is not law yet. Insurers and IBHS already use their own lists.
What to check
Clear leaves and needles from the gutters before fire season.
Check that the gutters and downspouts are metal or another noncombustible material.
Look up at the eaves. Are they open or enclosed?
Keep plants and branches out from under them.
What each list says
The lists do not always agree. Here is what each one says about this.
- IBHS Essential
Gutters and downspouts are noncombustible and kept clear of debris (section 2.1.2).
- IBHS Enhanced
Gutters are covered with a noncombustible material. The underside of the eaves is enclosed or protected with noncombustible material, material with a 1-hour fire rating, or 2-inch nominal lumber (sections 3.1.1 and 3.1.2).
- State discount list and FAIR Plan
Enclosed eaves.
- State draft
Roofs and rain gutters kept clear of leaves, needles and other debris that burns. No plants and no live branches under the eaves.
- San Diego
A voluntary step: noncombustible gutters and downspouts with covers, bird stops in the eave spaces, and boxed or enclosed eaves.
Sources
- IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Technical Standard (2025 edition)
- Safer from Wildfires regulation: frequently asked questions, California Department of Insurance, September 2026
- Discounts for dwelling fire and commercial policies, California FAIR Plan, November 15, 2025
- Notice of proposed emergency action: Zone 0 defensible space, Board of Forestry, August 20, 2026
- Zone 0 guidelines for existing structures, City of San Diego, April 2026