Having now worked in the Property and Casualty area of insurance for over 10 years the demographics of San Diego county led me into becoming an expert in insuring higher risk areas located in the high fire lines. The greater area of San Diego is riddled with canyons and brush covered hillsides. For those living in these areas , their insurance options are very limited and insurance carrier guidelines are strict. California has suffered dozens of major fires in the last two decades which forced carriers either to exit their practice of insuring the subject areas or to drastically increase their premiums.
In the majority of flagged fire zone cases, my agency utilizes a "difference of conditions" policy arrangement to cover homes otherwise ineligible as a result of fire score. A difference in conditions plan or DIC referrs to the practice of a carrier covering all perils and excluding fire while delegating the excluded item to a third party carrier who is willing to cover it. The logic behind it is when both policies are purchased the customer is covered entirely. What I have come across time and again with many agencies in regards to wildfire insurance, is that they lack the experience and omit vital coverage on all or part of the package. The DIC supplement for fire is generally covered by the California Fairplan, a co-op managed by the State and offers fire insurance only to those unable to find viable options in their area.
In the majority of flagged fire zone cases, my agency utilizes a "difference of conditions" policy arrangement to cover homes otherwise ineligible as a result of fire score. A difference in conditions plan or DIC referrs to the practice of a carrier covering all perils and excluding fire while delegating the excluded item to a third party carrier who is willing to cover it. The logic behind it is when both policies are purchased the customer is covered entirely. What I have come across time and again with many agencies in regards to wildfire insurance, is that they lack the experience and omit vital coverage on all or part of the package. The DIC supplement for fire is generally covered by the California Fairplan, a co-op managed by the State and offers fire insurance only to those unable to find viable options in their area.
While premiums can vary, the benefit behind the DIC plan is that the main carrier, in my case (Farmers who covers all but fire ) , will allow the bundle of discounts to apply even if the other policy covers the fire.
With more fires likely, there is no better time to review and evaluate your insursnce with us.
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