Can I still get regular homeowners insurance in Woodland Hills?

It's become increasingly difficult but not impossible. Major carriers like State Farm have pulled back significantly from high wildfire risk areas including Woodland Hills. However, some insurers still write policies, especially if your home has fire-resistant features and you maintain excellent defensible space. Work with an independent agent who can shop multiple carriers. If you can't find traditional coverage, the California FAIR Plan provides basic fire insurance as a last resort.

What's the difference between the FAIR Plan and regular homeowners insurance?

The FAIR Plan only covers fire damage to your dwelling structure—it doesn't include liability coverage, theft protection, or coverage for other perils like wind or water damage. Regular homeowners insurance is comprehensive and covers all these things. If you're on the FAIR Plan, you'll need a separate Difference in Conditions (DIC) policy to fill the coverage gaps and get protection comparable to a standard homeowners policy.

How much does it cost to maintain defensible space in Woodland Hills?

Costs vary widely depending on your property size and vegetation density. For a typical quarter-acre lot, annual brush clearance runs $500-$2,000 if you hire professionals. Many homeowners handle Zone 0 maintenance themselves and hire help for the outer zones requiring heavier equipment. The Los Angeles County Fire Department may clear your property and bill you if you don't comply, and those costs are typically higher than hiring your own contractor.

Do I really need earthquake insurance in Woodland Hills?

Woodland Hills sits near several active fault lines, including the Northridge fault system that caused the devastating 1994 earthquake. While earthquake insurance is optional, neither your homeowners policy nor the FAIR Plan covers earthquake damage. Given the significant seismic risk in Southern California and the fact that repairs from a major earthquake can easily exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars, many experts recommend at least considering coverage through the California Earthquake Authority.

Will my insurance rates go down if I create defensible space?

Creating defensible space won't necessarily lower your premium, but it significantly improves your chances of getting coverage in the first place and avoiding non-renewal. Some insurers do offer discounts for fire-resistant roofing, ember-resistant vents, and other hardening measures. More importantly, defensible space dramatically increases your home's chance of surviving a wildfire—studies show homes with proper defensible space are much more likely to survive even when fires burn through the area.

What happens if my insurer non-renews my policy?

You'll receive a non-renewal notice typically 75-120 days before your policy expires. Use that time to shop for replacement coverage with other carriers or independent agents. If you can't find traditional coverage, apply for the California FAIR Plan—you cannot be denied. Additionally, after the January 2025 Los Angeles fires, California implemented a one-year moratorium preventing insurers from canceling or non-renewing policies in affected areas, though this protection is temporary and location-specific.

Woodland Hills Insurance Guide 2025

If you live in Woodland Hills, you've probably noticed something unsettling: insurance companies are leaving California. Your neighbors are getting non-renewal notices. Premiums are climbing. And finding comprehensive coverage feels harder every year. You're not imagining it—Woodland Hills sits in one of Southern California's high wildfire risk zones, and insurers are responding by pulling back coverage across the Valley.

Here's what you need to know about protecting your Woodland Hills home, understanding California's unique insurance requirements, and navigating the challenging market in 2025. We'll cover everything from the new auto insurance minimums to wildfire preparedness, FAIR Plan coverage, and what those defensible space laws actually mean for your property.

California's New Auto Insurance Requirements

For decades, California drivers got by with some of the lowest auto insurance minimums in the country: just 15/30/5. That changed on January 1, 2025. The new minimums are 30/60/15, which means $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. These limits will stay in place until 2035, when they'll increase again to 50/100/25.

Here's the catch: the new law doesn't kick in immediately for everyone. It takes effect when your policy renews. So if you renewed in December 2024, you might still have the old limits until your next renewal. Check your policy documents or call your agent to confirm what coverage you currently have. And honestly? Even the new minimums are pretty low. If you cause a serious accident on the 101, $30,000 per person won't go far. Consider higher limits—at least 100/300/100—especially if you have assets to protect.

Understanding Woodland Hills' Wildfire Risk

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: fire risk. Woodland Hills, along with Pacific Palisades, Bel-Air, and Brentwood, is classified as a high wildfire risk area. The canyon topography, dense vegetation, and Santa Ana wind patterns create perfect conditions for fast-moving fires. State Farm alone dropped 30,000 California customers in 2024, with most living in areas exactly like this one.

Why are insurers leaving? California's Proposition 103—passed way back in 1988—requires insurers to get state approval before raising rates. Until recently, they could only use historical data from the past 20 years when pricing policies. But climate change means the past doesn't predict the future anymore. Insurers were losing money, so they stopped writing new policies and started non-renewing existing ones in high-risk areas.

There's some good news on the horizon. New regulations implemented in late 2024 and early 2025 allow insurers to use forward-looking catastrophe models that account for climate change. In exchange, they must gradually increase coverage in wildfire-prone areas—specifically, by 5% every two years until they reach 85% of their statewide market share. It's too early to know if this will actually bring carriers back, but it's the first meaningful reform in years.

The California FAIR Plan: Your Safety Net

If you can't get traditional homeowners insurance, the California FAIR Plan is your backstop. It's an insurer of last resort that provides basic fire coverage when no private company will take you. FAIR Plan policies more than doubled between 2020 and 2024, jumping from about 127,000 to over 450,000. That tells you everything about California's insurance crisis.

Here's what people get wrong about the FAIR Plan: it's not comprehensive coverage. It only covers fire damage to your dwelling. No theft protection. No liability coverage if someone gets hurt on your property. No coverage for other perils like wind or hail. To fill those gaps, you need a Difference in Conditions (DIC) policy, which is essentially a supplemental policy that covers everything the FAIR Plan doesn't. Think of the FAIR Plan as covering your structure from burning down, and the DIC policy as covering all the other stuff a normal homeowners policy would handle.

One important update: in 2024, the FAIR Plan removed the controversial "sight and smell" requirement for smoke damage claims, which previously made it extremely difficult for policyholders to get paid for smoke damage if fire never actually touched their property. This change came after a class action lawsuit on behalf of potentially 350,000 to 400,000 policyholders.

Defensible Space and Brush Clearance Requirements

Under California law (Public Resources Code 4291), you must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around your home. In high fire hazard areas—which includes most of Woodland Hills—that requirement can extend to 200 feet. Defensible space isn't just a good idea; it's legally required, and failure to maintain it can result in fines or your property being declared a public nuisance by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The most critical area is Zone 0—the first five feet immediately surrounding your home, known as the ember-resistant zone. Embers from wildfires can travel over a mile and ignite combustible materials near your house. In this five-foot zone, remove all dead vegetation, keep plants well-watered, use hardscape where possible, and clear leaves and debris from your roof and gutters. Move firewood piles, grills, and outdoor furniture away from the structure.

Beyond Zone 0, cut annual grass down to a maximum of four inches, remove tree branches at least six feet from the ground, and maintain spacing between plants and trees—specifically, keep at least three times the height of any shrubs between the shrubs and the lowest tree branches. The Los Angeles County Fire Department conducts annual inspections starting in inland communities each spring. Don't wait for an inspection notice to get your property in compliance.

Earthquake Coverage Through the CEA

Earthquake coverage isn't included in your homeowners or FAIR Plan policy—you need a separate policy, typically through the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), which provides about two-thirds of all residential earthquake policies in California. The CEA made significant changes in 2024 that you should know about, especially if you're considering coverage or already have a policy.

The most impactful change: personal property limits were slashed from $200,000 to just $25,000. That's a huge reduction if you have valuable belongings. Additionally, if your home is valued over $1 million or was built before 1980 on a raised or other type of foundation without verified seismic retrofitting, your minimum deductible is now 15%—you can no longer select the lower 5% or 10% deductible options. On a $1 million home, that's a $150,000 deductible you'd pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.

There is a silver lining: if you retrofit an older home to meet current seismic standards, you can qualify for discounts up to 25%. Given Woodland Hills' proximity to several fault lines, earthquake coverage is worth considering seriously, even with the recent changes. At minimum, review the CEA's Standard and Choice policy options to understand what's covered and what isn't.

Taking Action: What to Do Now

Start by reviewing your current insurance situation. Check whether your auto policy has updated to the new 30/60/15 minimums. If you have homeowners insurance, confirm your renewal date and whether your carrier has indicated any intention to non-renew. If you're already on the FAIR Plan, make sure you have a DIC policy to cover gaps in liability and personal property protection.

Next, walk your property and assess your defensible space compliance. Focus especially on that critical Zone 0 area in the first five feet around your home. Clear gutters, remove dead vegetation, and create separation between plants and your structure. The Los Angeles County Fire Department has detailed guidance and will inspect your property annually—better to get ahead of it than scramble after receiving a notice.

Finally, consider working with an independent insurance agent who knows the Woodland Hills market. They can help you navigate the FAIR Plan, find DIC policies, evaluate earthquake coverage options, and potentially identify any remaining carriers still writing comprehensive policies in your area. The insurance landscape in California is changing fast, and having someone who stays on top of those changes can make a real difference in both your coverage and your peace of mind.

Woodland Hills Insurance Guide

Key Takeaways