I have homeowner’s insurance through an Allstate subsidiary (North Light Specialty Insurance Co.). Our insurance renewal is now higher than our property taxes and has doubled in the past 5 years. I asked our agent what our wildfire risk score was and was told 76 (scale of 1-100, with 80 and above being an extreme risk). When I asked how the score was arrived at in order to see if there was anything we could do on the property to improve the score, our agent replied, “According to my underwriter, fire scores are based on the individual address automatically by our quoting system.” This seems like a meaningless answer, and I was told that I cannot contact North Light directly—I can only go through my agent, who has not been helpful. I assume that a policy holder should be allowed to see the data used to arrive at the score. What do you suggest?
Heidi Shale asked 2 weeks ago Hi Heidi:
We understand your frustration with North Light Insurance’s risk assessment process. and your agent’s answer. We would recommend that you review UP’s WRAP resource center, which you can find here: https://uphelp.org/preparedness/wrap-resource-center/
You can try appealing North Light Insurance’s wildfire risk assessment by considering the following:
Gather Documentation
-Obtain detailed property survey/measurements showing distances to vegetation
-Take photographs demonstrating identical conditions to your neighbors
-Collect your neighbors’ risk assessment details (if they’re willing to share)
-Document any recent defensible space improvements or vegetation management
Request Data Review Through Your Agent
-Contact your insurance agent to request a detailed explanation of how your risk score was calculated
-Ask your agent to obtain the specific data points and measurements used for your property; they should be able to do this for you
-Request through your agent the source of North Light’s property information (often from third-party vendors like Verisk or CoreLogic)
Once you receive the above information, you can:
Identify Discrepancies
-Compare your property’s recorded characteristics with actual conditions
-Look for outdated aerial imagery, incorrect slope measurements, or vegetation data
-Check if recent defensible space work wasn’t captured in their assessment
File Formal Appeal Through Your Agent
-Work with your agent to submit a written appeal to North Light Insurance within their specified timeframe
-Provide all supporting documentation, photos, and neighbor comparisons to your agent
-Request through your agent that North Light conduct an on-site inspection if the discrepancy is significant
And if you still get pushback, consider the following:
Professional Help
-Hire a wildfire risk assessment professional or surveyor to provide an independent evaluation
-Consult with an insurance attorney familiar with insurance appeals if the stakes are high
Alternative Options
-Contact the California Department of Insurance if North Light Insurance doesn’t respond appropriately through your agent
-Consider whether recent property improvements might qualify you for risk reduction credits
The key is demonstrating with concrete evidence that your property’s risk factors are materially the same as your neighbors’ lower-scored properties. Remember that all communications with North Light Insurance should go through your agent.
If the stakes are high, you may want to consider consulting with an insurance attorney familiar with insurance appeals. You can review UP’s professional help directory here: https://uphelp.org/sponsor-location/california/