Got a Wildfire Letter From Your Insurance Company? Here Is What to Do
We walk the property for free, show you what would get flagged, and send before-and-after photos when the work is done. You do not even have to be there.
If your insurance company sent a letter about wildfire risk, or asked for photos showing the brush is cleared around your house, here is the short answer. Find out exactly what they want and by when. Get the property walked by someone who knows what inspectors look for. Then get the work done and photographed before the deadline.
We get this call all the time. This year alone we have done more than 20 of these jobs, from Columbia to Jamestown to Twain Harte. Some owners walked the property with us. Some were hundreds of miles away and never set foot on it. Here is how it works either way.
Why So Many Foothill Homeowners Are Getting These Letters
It is not just you. A U.S. Senate Budget Committee report found that Tuolumne, Calaveras, Nevada, and Amador Counties have the largest share of residents dropped by their insurance companies, as California County News reported in December 2024. Insurers are looking harder at the ground around each house. Some send a letter. Some ask for photos. Some send their own inspector out.
If your insurer decides not to renew, you get some warning. The California Department of Insurance says a written non-renewal notice has to reach you at least 75 days before the policy ends, and it has to give the reason. That reason is your to-do list.
The state also runs a program called Safer from Wildfires. It lists 10 steps that qualify you for an insurance discount. Several of them are yard work: defensible space compliance, clearing weeds and debris from under decks, a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around the house, and getting combustible sheds at least 30 feet away. The rest are about the house itself, like a Class A roof and ember-resistant vents.
What Insurance Companies Look For Around Your House
Every insurer has its own checklist, but the yard part comes down to the same 100-foot rules CAL FIRE uses. Our guide to CAL FIRE defensible space requirements in Tuolumne County breaks down the zones. On a walk, these are the things that get flagged most:
- Dry grass and weeds taller than 4 inches within 100 feet of the house
- Brush and small trees growing against the walls, the deck, or under the eaves
- Pine needles and leaves on the roof, in the gutters, and piled against the foundation
- Limbs hanging over the roof or within 10 feet of the chimney
- Ladder fuels: brush under trees that lets a ground fire climb up into them
- Junk, lumber, and firewood stacked against the house or under the deck
We handle all of that. We cut, trim, rake, limb, and haul everything away the same day.
What we do not do: roofs, vents, siding, and windows. If your letter asks for a new roof or ember-resistant vents, you need a roofer or a general contractor for that part. We will tell you so on the walk, and we can still get the yard off your list.
Our Free 15-Minute Walk
Because we know what the insurance companies are looking for, every one of these jobs starts with a walk. It takes about 15 minutes and it costs nothing.
We go around the whole property and tell you what needs to be removed, trimmed, cut back, or hauled off. If anything would not pass, you get the full rundown, item by item, plus a price to get the work done before your deadline or before the insurance inspector comes out. If the place already looks good, we tell you that too.
Two things we are always straight about. We are not CAL FIRE and we are not your insurance company, so this is not an official inspection. And nobody can promise what an insurer will decide. What we can do is bring the yard up to the standard they check against and give you the photos to show it. You can book a free defensible space inspection online, or just call.
Out of Town? We Walk It With You on the Phone
A lot of the homes we see for this are second homes and rentals. One customer in Columbia was out of town when the insurance letter came, so we did what we call a virtual walkthrough. We do these multiple times a week, so we are set up for it:
- You tell us what time to be at the house.
- When we pull in, we call you.
- We walk the property with you on the phone. We ask our questions as we go, so we know what you want done and what you want left alone.
- You decide on the call. By the time we hang up, you have everything you need: what has to go, what it costs, and when we can do it.
You do not have to be there for any part of it, big job or small. We have done jobs all over Tuolumne County for owners we have never met in person. If your place is up the hill, our Twain Harte yard cleanup guide shows how we take care of cabins while you are away.
Before-and-After Photos, Payment, and a Receipt
When the work is done, we send you before-and-after photos. You see just what you paid for. If we missed a spot, tell us. The crew is still there, so we fix it before we leave.
The photos help with your insurance too. Many insurance companies ask for photos like these, so you can send them right in.
Once you are happy with the work, you pay by Zelle or Venmo and we send you a PDF receipt right away. Keep it for your records or your taxes, or send it to your insurer with the photos.
So even if you live hundreds of miles from your Sonora house, you know when we got there, when we left, and what we did.
From a customer in Lambert Lakes: "The work was completed in a timely manner, and we were notified of any possible delays or issues. The crew stayed in contact by text providing updates during the work. Payment options made the payment process easy."
What It Costs
The walk is free. The work is priced by the project, never by the hour, so you know the number before we start. Small lots often run a few hundred dollars. Bigger, steeper, or more overgrown properties cost more, and dump fees are included in the price.
Our defensible space clearing service covers everything we do from the house out to 100 feet. For real numbers on the most common job, see our weed abatement cost guide for Tuolumne County.
Photos From Our Defensible Space Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing my property save my insurance?
Nobody can promise that, including us. Your insurance company makes its own call. What we can do is bring the yard up to the defensible space standard they check against, and give you before-and-after photos to send them.
Is the walk really free?
Yes. It takes about 15 minutes. You get a rundown of what needs to be done and a price for the work. No pressure and no bill.
Do I need to be home?
No. We can walk the property with you on the phone, do the work while you are away, and send before-and-after photos and a PDF receipt when it is done.
How fast can you come out?
Usually within a few days, often sooner. If your insurance company gave you a deadline, tell us the date when you call.
What if my insurance company wants a new roof or vents?
That part is for a roofer or a general contractor. We handle the yard: grass, brush, needles, limbs, and hauling. We will tell you on the walk which items are ours and which are not.
Do you work in Calaveras County too?
Yes. We cover all of Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties, from Sonora, Columbia, Jamestown, and Twain Harte to Angels Camp, Murphys, and Arnold.
Want to go deeper?
Here is the house side of the wildfire checklist, and a 2-minute quiz to see where your property stands before anyone walks it.
