JACKSON — The Mississippi Insurance Department is urging homeowners to prepare now for wildfire risk and to review insurance coverage before disaster strikes, saying early steps can mean the difference between losing a home and saving one.
The department recommends creating a “defensible space,” a buffer between a home and surrounding vegetation, and reviewing policies to ensure wildfire coverage is in place. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety also recommends measures to create defensible space around structures.
Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney said standard homeowners policies typically cover repair or replacement of a home’s structure and items damaged by flames, smoke, soot and ash, but policyholders should not assume full protection. “Most homeowners and renters policies help with recovery expenses through additional living expense coverage, known as ALE,” Chaney said. “While a homeowners policy may provide a benefit during a mandatory evacuation, some insurance companies impose conditions such as waiting periods or actual damage to your property.”
Chaney advised policyholders to keep all receipts for submission to insurers and to document home contents before any disaster occurs. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers a free Home Inventory App at https://content.naic.org/consumer/home-inventory. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
