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Wildfires and Your California Car Insurance

    2 minute read
    wildfire burning in the forest
    Image courtesy of Toa55 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

    It is that time of the year again, the few months dreaded by those across California: Wildfire Season. Dry weather and abundant brush can mean acres of property are destroyed in an instant as a fire roars through buildings, land, and cars.

    So, would your car be covered in this instance?

    Ask this one question: Do I have comprehensive insurance? If the answer is yes, your vehicle would likely be covered if it was damaged by a wildfire. If the answer is no, your vehicle likely wouldn’t be covered in the event of a fire, at least not by your vehicle insurance policy.

    This is because wildfires are classified as “Acts of God” for insurance purposes and for these types of events, comprehensive is the relevant coverage.  If you live in a wildfire area and want to ensure fire damage to your vehicle would be a covered loss, contact your agent and make sure you have purchased comprehensive coverage.  If you haven’t, now would be a good time to consider it.

    airplane putting out a wildfire
    Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

    However, with wildfires, the best defense is a good offense. The same methods you use to protect your home can also be used to protect your car. Do the following to your property, in the area where you may normally park your vehicle:

    • Clear brush, weeds, anything flammable, and other potential fuel sources away, in a thirty-foot radius, from your home and where you park your car

    • Try to space trees and shrubs on your property at roughly ten feet apart.

    • Prune any branches six feet or lower on trees taller than eighteen feet

    • Remove any dead leaves or needles from your yard, driveway, gutters, and roof and garage

    • Keep any flammable liquids or other sources of ignition in a separate location at least thirty feet from your home and vehicle

    If you want to make sure you do the best you can to protect your vehicle and other property from wildfires, call the Auto Insurance Specialists. We offer auto insurance as well homeowner’s insurance, business insurance, and a whole suite of other insurance products that give you security when disaster strikes. We will help you navigate various insurers, find a policy bundle that suits your needs, and find the best discounts available to you so that you can save money while having the best insurance coverage possible. Don’t let worry about natural disasters weigh you down: Call us today.

    This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverage’s in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.