Mercury Insurance Teams Up with Insurance Institute for Business & Home (IBHS) Safety to Promote Wildfire Preparedness

Rhea-AI Summary

Mercury Insurance (MCY) has partnered with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to offer homeowners in wildfire-prone areas potential insurance discounts through the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification program. The initiative aims to encourage homeowners to strengthen their properties against wildfire risks.

The program offers two certification levels: Wildfire Prepared Base and Wildfire Prepared Plus. Certification requirements include maintaining defensible space, preparing home exteriors, and annual maintenance. Certifications are valid for three years with annual reinspections. According to IBHS, 4.8 million U.S. homes face high or extreme wildfire risk, with over 2 million in California. Wildfire losses have totaled $5.1 billion in the past decade.

Positive

• Potential insurance premium discounts for Mercury policyholders who obtain IBHS certification
• Program based on 10+ years of research by IBHS
• Comprehensive certification process with two levels of protection
• Three-year certification validity with annual maintenance checks ensures continued protection

Negative

• Limited availability - program only available in California and Oregon
• Restricted to single-family, detached houses of three stories or less
• Certification requires ongoing maintenance and reinspection costs
• Application fees and potential renovation costs for homeowners to meet requirements

Insights

Insurance Industry Analyst

Mercury's partnership with IBHS offers wildfire preparedness incentives that could improve loss ratios while establishing competitive differentiation in high-risk markets.

Mercury Insurance's new partnership with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) represents a strategic move in the property insurance market, particularly for their significant California customer base. By offering premium discounts for IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification, Mercury is implementing a multi-layered risk management approach that addresses both customer retention and loss prevention.

The financial implications are noteworthy. With wildfire losses totaling $5.1 billion over the past decade and 4.8 million U.S. homes at high or extreme wildfire risk (2+ million in California alone), this program directly targets a major expense driver for insurers operating in these regions. The certification program creates financial incentives for policyholders to implement scientifically-validated mitigation measures, potentially reducing Mercury's catastrophic loss exposure.

This move positions Mercury advantageously in markets where insurers have been retreating due to wildfire risk. Many carriers have restricted writing new business or have withdrawn entirely from high-risk zones, creating coverage availability issues. By incentivizing home hardening rather than simply raising rates or withdrawing coverage, Mercury demonstrates a sustainable approach to maintaining market presence in these challenging territories.

From an operational perspective, the tiered certification approach (Base and Plus levels) allows Mercury to adjust pricing according to risk gradients, potentially improving underwriting precision. The three-year certification validity with annual inspections also creates a structured mechanism for ongoing risk monitoring, which could improve loss forecasting accuracy.

The partnership addresses a critical industry challenge in wildfire-prone regions: balancing availability, affordability, and insurer solvency. By creating pathways for homeowners to qualify for coverage through mitigation rather than simply facing higher premiums or non-renewals, Mercury is pursuing a solution that serves both business interests and market stability.

Homeowners in wildfire-prone areas can earn insurance discounts through IBHS certification program

LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wildfires are posing ever-increasing threats to communities around the country and Mercury Insurance is partnering with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) to help homeowners act before disaster strikes. Through this collaboration, Mercury policyholders in wildfire-susceptible areas may qualify for a discount on their premiums by participating in the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification program. 

The certification program encourages homeowners to make meaningful, real-world improvements to harden their homes against wildfire risk. Mercury customers who earn the Wildfire Prepared Home designation may be eligible for a discount on the Catastrophe Fire portion of their premium. Homeowners should contact their Mercury agent for eligibility and program details. 

"IBHS offers homeowners the ability to certify their homes against severe weather risks specific to their area, including wildfires. The program is based on more than 10 years of carefully executed research," said Kelly Butler, VP and Chief Underwriting Officer at Mercury Insurance. "Many of Mercury's customers reside in California, and preparedness is the key to protecting our homes and communities — wildfires don't wait, and neither should we." 

According to IBHS, 4.8 million U.S. homes are identified as high or extreme risk of wildfire, with more than 2 million located in California. Losses from wildfires have added up to $5.1 billion in just the past 10 years. IBHS believes that improving building codes and installation practices will result in reduced losses. 

IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Certification

To get your home IBHS certified, you'll need to participate in either the FORTIFIED or Wildfire Prepared Home program. While FORTIFIED focuses on general severe weather resilience, Wildfire Prepared Home is specifically designed to address wildfire threats through proven mitigation strategies. 

Steps for Wildfire Prepared Home certification include:

1. Apply: Register on the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home portal and pay the application fee.
2. Inspection: An IBHS-authorized evaluator will conduct an external inspection of your property and take photographs.
3. Compliance: If your home doesn't meet all requirements, you'll receive a list of mitigation actions and an opportunity to bring it into compliance.
4. Ongoing Maintenance: You'll need to demonstrate annual maintenance of your landscaping to retain the designation.
5. Certificate: Once all of the requirements have been met, IBHS will issue the appropriate certificate.

There are two levels of certification: 

Wildfire Prepared Base – Requires defensible space within 5 feet of the home, preparing the home's exterior, and maintaining the deck/covered porch and yard to prevent ember ignition. 

Wildfire Prepared Plus – Includes all Base-level requirements plus an extra layer of home protection for flames and radiant heat that is common with new home construction or exterior home renovations. 

All homes eligible for certification must fulfill the following requirements: 

• The applicant must be the homeowner
• Photos of all four sides of the home, showing the 0- to 5-foot noncombustible zone, are required
• The home must be a single-family, detached house (no townhouse or condos) with three stories or less
• The home must be in California or Oregon

Applicants should bear in mind that all certifications are valid for three years, and at the end of years one and two, each home must be reinspected. 

"The IBHS certification process allows homeowners to take a series of actions that will meaningfully reduce their fire risk. If the process seems overwhelming at first, the best advice is to take it one step at a time," said Mary Anne Byrd, Communications Director at IBHS. "We are here to help applicants every step of the way." 

About Mercury Insurance

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier offering personal auto, homeowners, and renters insurance directly to consumers and through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in Florida. Mercury also writes business owners, business auto, landlord, commercial multi-peril and mechanical protection insurance in various states.

Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value for their insurance dollar by pairing ultra-competitive rates with excellent customer service, through nearly 4,100 employees and a network of more than 6,500 independent agents in 11 states. Mercury has earned an "A" rating from A.M. Best, as well as "Best Auto Insurance Company" designations from Forbes and Insure.com. For more information visit www.MercuryInsurance.com or follow the company on Twitter or Facebook. 

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SOURCE Mercury Insurance

FAQ

What is Mercury Insurance's (MCY) new wildfire preparedness program?

Mercury Insurance has partnered with IBHS to offer insurance premium discounts to policyholders who obtain Wildfire Prepared Home certification, which involves making improvements to protect homes against wildfire risks.

How many certification levels are available in Mercury's (MCY) IBHS wildfire program?

The program offers two certification levels: Wildfire Prepared Base, which requires basic defensible space and protection measures, and Wildfire Prepared Plus, which includes additional protection against flames and radiant heat.

What are the eligibility requirements for Mercury's (MCY) wildfire certification program?

Eligible properties must be single-family, detached houses with three stories or less, located in California or Oregon. The applicant must be the homeowner and provide photos of all four sides of the home showing the noncombustible zone.

How long is the IBHS wildfire certification valid for Mercury Insurance (MCY) customers?

The certification is valid for three years, with required reinspections at the end of years one and two to maintain certification status.

How many homes are at risk of wildfires according to Mercury Insurance's (MCY) announcement?

According to IBHS data cited in the announcement, 4.8 million U.S. homes are at high or extreme risk of wildfire, with over 2 million located in California. Wildfire losses have totaled $5.1 billion in the past decade.