Wildfire risk score: understand it, lower it, appeal it
Insurers price your home off a wildfire risk score most homeowners never get to see. Here’s what the score is, how it’s used, how mitigation moves it — and, increasingly, how to appeal it.
See my wildfire risk score — free →What your wildfire risk score is — and why it controls your premium
A wildfire risk score estimates how likely your home is to be damaged by wildfire, built from vegetation and fuels, terrain and slope, recorded fire history, weather, and construction. Insurers and their catastrophe modelers use it to set your rate, decide eligibility, and decide whether to renew. FireRisk gives you an independent 0–100 read from federal data — USFS Wildfire Risk to Communities, FEMA’s National Risk Index, USGS terrain, and fire history — so you can see what the models see.
Quick heads-up: there are two “wildfire risk scores”
It’s an easy mix-up, so let’s clear it up first — here’s the difference between the two.
Your FireRisk score
0–100 · free
The independent, transparent score you get on this site, built from open federal data (USFS, FEMA, USGS, fire history). It’s your reference point — see it instantly and use it to sanity-check and appeal what your insurer says.
Your insurer’s score
private · paid
A proprietary score your insurance company licenses from a modeling firm (Verisk, ZestyAI, CoreLogic, First Street) and uses to set your premium and decide renewals. You usually can’t see how it’s calculated — and that’s exactly what FireRisk helps you push back on.
The rest of this page covers both: what your score means, what counts as “good,” and who builds the scores insurers actually use.
What’s a good wildfire risk score? The 0–100 bands
FireRisk scores run 0–100, where lower is safer. Here’s how each band typically maps to risk and to the insurance market.
Low
Minimal wildfire hazard. Standard/admitted carriers should compete for you, at the best rates.
Moderate
Some exposure, but usually still firmly in the standard market. Basic mitigation keeps it there.
High
Elevated risk. Expect surcharges, stricter eligibility, and inspections — and real savings from documented mitigation.
Very High
Many admitted carriers decline. Often specialist or surplus-lines (E&S) territory, with a FAIR Plan as backstop.
Extreme
Among the most hazardous parcels. Coverage is frequently a FAIR Plan + DIC wrap. Mitigation is essential to re-enter the market.
A “good” score is a low one — but the number that matters is your parcel’s, because two homes on the same street can land in different bands. Mitigation is what moves you down a band, and documented mitigation is what gets a carrier to recognize it.
Who calculates the score your insurer uses?
This is the second score from above — the private one. Most insurers don’t build their own wildfire model; they license one from a catastrophe-modeling company and feed it your property’s characteristics. The scores you’ll run into most often come from:
Verisk — FireLine®
One of the most widely used wildfire risk scores in U.S. underwriting; rates a property on fuel, slope, and access.
ZestyAI — Z-FIRE™
An AI, property-level wildfire model approved by regulators in several states for use in rating.
CoreLogic wildfire risk score
A property-level wildfire risk score used by insurers and lenders for underwriting and portfolio analysis.
First Street — Risk Factor™
The consumer-facing “Fire Factor” you’ll see on real-estate listings; a 1–10 property risk rating.
These models are proprietary, and the score your insurer uses isn’t always the one you can see. FireRisk is independent — we build a transparent 0–100 read from open federal data (USFS Wildfire Risk to Communities, FEMA’s National Risk Index, USGS terrain, and recorded fire history) so you have a defensible reference point of your own.
New: your right to appeal
Think your insurer’s score is wrong? You can appeal it.
Colorado’s HB 25-1182 now requires insurers to disclose your score and accept appeals, with a decision in 30 days. Our free Appeal Kit builds your case — your independent score, documented parcel and community mitigation, and a formal reconsideration letter.
Score-transparency & appeal rights by state
Where you can see and appeal your insurer’s wildfire score today — and what’s coming.
HB 25-1182 — score disclosure + 30-day appeal rights are law.
California
EmergingModels are heavily used; transparency rules are evolving under the state’s insurance strategy.
Oregon
EmergingStatewide hazard mapping and model use are under active debate.
Other states
EmergingScore-transparency and appeal rights are spreading. Check back as we add states.
Wildfire risk score FAQ
What is a wildfire risk score?
A wildfire risk score is a number or classification an insurer (or a third-party model) assigns to a property to estimate its wildfire hazard. It’s built from data like vegetation and fuels, terrain and slope, fire history, weather, and how the home is built. Insurers use it to decide whether to offer coverage and what to charge. FireRisk gives you an independent 0–100 read from the same kind of federal data, so you can see where you stand.
How do insurance companies use wildfire risk scores?
Insurers and their catastrophe modelers use wildfire scores to set premiums, decide eligibility, and decide whether to renew. A high score can mean a much higher premium, a surcharge, or a non-renewal. Because two homes a mile apart can score very differently, your specific parcel’s score — and the mitigation that lowers it — matters a lot.
Can I see and appeal my wildfire risk score?
In Colorado, yes — HB 25-1182 requires insurers that use a wildfire model to disclose your score, the range of possible scores, and how mitigation affects it, and gives you the right to appeal with a decision within 30 days. Other states are moving in the same direction. Even where it isn’t yet law, you can ask your insurer for the basis of your rating and document your mitigation to argue for a better one.
How do I lower my wildfire risk score?
Mitigation. The highest-impact, best-documented moves are a Class-A fire-rated roof, ember-resistant vents, an ember-resistant 0–5 ft Zone 0, and maintained defensible space. Keep dated photos and invoices, and add any community-wide mitigation like a Firewise USA® recognition — together these are what move a score and support an appeal.
General information only, not legal or insurance advice. Rights and procedures vary by state and policy. FireRisk.ai is an independent risk-information service and is not affiliated with any insurer or government agency.