Need help obtaining homeowners insurance for Poway / Scripps Ranch area

[submarine]

Help! We are struggling to obtain homeowners insurance. We are currently in escrow in a property that was in an area affected by the 2003 and 2007 fires. The house itself was not damaged by either fire, but it is in an area designated as a “supplemental fire hazard zone” (though not in a “very high fire hazard area” or a “wildland fire area”). We have been trying to obtain homeowners insurance on the house and have had very little luck in finding someone who would insure the property. All the big name insurance companies I have been in touch with refuse to insure that area, and even their affiliates (like Chubb) seem unwilling to offer insurance in that area. One quote we were able to get was from the company that is currently insuring the house, but they want to charge nearly twice as much as the current owner is paying.

The house has a fire hydrant on site and is about 4 miles from a fire station. It is a newer construction and is built to be fire resistant (tile roof, etc.). There does not appear to be much brush around the house, and we should be able to clear out any brush that may be there either prior to close of escrow or shortly thereafter.

Despite these features, we have been unable to find a reasonable option for insurance. We are getting uncomfortably near the end of escrow, and I don’t want to lose the property over this issue. We would greatly appreciate any of your thoughts or suggestions of what we can do or who we could speak with to find insurance coverage. Thanks in advance for your insight and responses.

[DataAgent]

Have you spoken to your realtor? The seller’s realtor? The neighbors?

I have State Farm and my agent tells me there are certain ‘fire area’ properties in San Diego county that only ‘high risk’ insurance companies will insure. High risk insurers are usually small companies without recognizable brand names. They charge high premiums with high deductibles.

[DataAgent]

Have you spoken to your realtor? The seller’s realtor? The neighbors?

I have State Farm and my agent tells me there are certain ‘fire area’ properties in San Diego county that only ‘high risk’ insurance companies will insure. High risk insurers are usually small companies without recognizable brand names. They charge high premiums with high deductibles.

[DataAgent]

Have you spoken to your realtor? The seller’s realtor? The neighbors?

I have State Farm and my agent tells me there are certain ‘fire area’ properties in San Diego county that only ‘high risk’ insurance companies will insure. High risk insurers are usually small companies without recognizable brand names. They charge high premiums with high deductibles.

[DataAgent]

Have you spoken to your realtor? The seller’s realtor? The neighbors?

I have State Farm and my agent tells me there are certain ‘fire area’ properties in San Diego county that only ‘high risk’ insurance companies will insure. High risk insurers are usually small companies without recognizable brand names. They charge high premiums with high deductibles.

[DataAgent]

Have you spoken to your realtor? The seller’s realtor? The neighbors?

I have State Farm and my agent tells me there are certain ‘fire area’ properties in San Diego county that only ‘high risk’ insurance companies will insure. High risk insurers are usually small companies without recognizable brand names. They charge high premiums with high deductibles.

[submarine]

My realtor has directed me to a couple of people, but so far they have not been able to find anything. The seller’s realtor is who pointed us toward the insurance broker who is currently handling the policy on the property, but that person has quoted us a very high rate (almost $4k/yr but subject to a slight reduction if we transfer all of our other policies to the carrier) and that rate is nearly twice what is being paid on the property now. I have no problem with a relatively high deductible, but I think that $4k/yr is not reasonable.

[submarine]

My realtor has directed me to a couple of people, but so far they have not been able to find anything. The seller’s realtor is who pointed us toward the insurance broker who is currently handling the policy on the property, but that person has quoted us a very high rate (almost $4k/yr but subject to a slight reduction if we transfer all of our other policies to the carrier) and that rate is nearly twice what is being paid on the property now. I have no problem with a relatively high deductible, but I think that $4k/yr is not reasonable.

[submarine]

My realtor has directed me to a couple of people, but so far they have not been able to find anything. The seller’s realtor is who pointed us toward the insurance broker who is currently handling the policy on the property, but that person has quoted us a very high rate (almost $4k/yr but subject to a slight reduction if we transfer all of our other policies to the carrier) and that rate is nearly twice what is being paid on the property now. I have no problem with a relatively high deductible, but I think that $4k/yr is not reasonable.

[submarine]

My realtor has directed me to a couple of people, but so far they have not been able to find anything. The seller’s realtor is who pointed us toward the insurance broker who is currently handling the policy on the property, but that person has quoted us a very high rate (almost $4k/yr but subject to a slight reduction if we transfer all of our other policies to the carrier) and that rate is nearly twice what is being paid on the property now. I have no problem with a relatively high deductible, but I think that $4k/yr is not reasonable.

[submarine]

My realtor has directed me to a couple of people, but so far they have not been able to find anything. The seller’s realtor is who pointed us toward the insurance broker who is currently handling the policy on the property, but that person has quoted us a very high rate (almost $4k/yr but subject to a slight reduction if we transfer all of our other policies to the carrier) and that rate is nearly twice what is being paid on the property now. I have no problem with a relatively high deductible, but I think that $4k/yr is not reasonable.

[DataAgent]

I guess there’s not much else you can do. If you like the home and are comfortable living in a fire area, I’d go for it. You could easily spend $4-5K on Mello-Roos fees in another part of town.

Personally, I like Scripps Ranch. Especially the area south of Pomerado. We almost bought a totally-rebuilt home on Birch Bluff back in 2007. But my wife found pics of homes on the Internet just after the 2003 fire. Then there was the fires in late 2007. No way was she living in that area!

[DataAgent]

I guess there’s not much else you can do. If you like the home and are comfortable living in a fire area, I’d go for it. You could easily spend $4-5K on Mello-Roos fees in another part of town.

Personally, I like Scripps Ranch. Especially the area south of Pomerado. We almost bought a totally-rebuilt home on Birch Bluff back in 2007. But my wife found pics of homes on the Internet just after the 2003 fire. Then there was the fires in late 2007. No way was she living in that area!

[DataAgent]

I guess there’s not much else you can do. If you like the home and are comfortable living in a fire area, I’d go for it. You could easily spend $4-5K on Mello-Roos fees in another part of town.

Personally, I like Scripps Ranch. Especially the area south of Pomerado. We almost bought a totally-rebuilt home on Birch Bluff back in 2007. But my wife found pics of homes on the Internet just after the 2003 fire. Then there was the fires in late 2007. No way was she living in that area!

[DataAgent]

I guess there’s not much else you can do. If you like the home and are comfortable living in a fire area, I’d go for it. You could easily spend $4-5K on Mello-Roos fees in another part of town.

Personally, I like Scripps Ranch. Especially the area south of Pomerado. We almost bought a totally-rebuilt home on Birch Bluff back in 2007. But my wife found pics of homes on the Internet just after the 2003 fire. Then there was the fires in late 2007. No way was she living in that area!

[Author]

Posts