Insurance
Rules that make insurers count mitigation, and the certification many of them recognize.
Insurance ruleIn effectReady to proceed
Mitigation in home insurance rates (SB 82)
Oregon. Oregon Division of Financial Regulation
Home insurers must consider home hardening and defensible space in rating and underwriting, post on their websites whether and how mitigation affects rates, and send individualized notices with premium increases, cancellations, and nonrenewals that list mitigation actions and the wildfire risk score. Insurers may not use the state wildfire risk map for rating.
Mitigation must be reflected in rating and underwriting; how much it saves varies by insurer.
Ready to proceed. It applies to insurers in your state. Keep the record of the work.
- Work it may recognize
- Vents, gutters and gutter guards, sealing gaps, and the first 5 ft around the house
Details and how to use it
- Details
- The law refers to home hardening and defensible space generally; specific qualifying actions vary by insurer. Also gives at least 24 months to rebuild after losses in declared wildfire emergencies.
- How
- Read your insurer's website on how mitigation affects rates. If you get a premium increase, cancellation, or nonrenewal, the notice must list property-specific actions; complete them and send documentation to your insurer or agent asking for re-review. The guidance sets no formal appeal process, so contact the Division of Financial Regulation if the insurer does not respond.
- We prepare
- Mitigation record and Request for a mitigation review
CertificationOpenReady to proceed
Wildfire Prepared Home
Nationwide. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
A certification from the insurance industry’s research institute that a house meets its wildfire standard. An evaluator visits and documents the work, and many insurers in the states where it’s offered recognize it.
Discounts vary by insurer and state and aren’t guaranteed. A designation lasts 3 years, with a yearly photo review to keep it active.
Ready to proceed. It applies to insurers in your state. Keep the record of the work.
- Work it may recognize
- Vents, gutters and gutter guards, and the first 5 ft around the house
- You’ll need
- A fee and a yearly review
Details and how to use it
- Details
- Essential, the ember level, also asks for a Class A roof and 6 in of noncombustible wall base. Enhanced adds gutter guards, enclosed eaves, tempered windows, and noncombustible siding and decks. Garage doors aren’t named.
- How
- Do the work with the How-To Prepare checklist, then apply online with photos of every side of the house and the 0 to 5 ft zone. An evaluator visits; if something falls short, you have 60 days to fix it and send photos.
- We prepare
- Certification checklist and Mitigation record
Grants, rebates, and tax breaks
Money back for work on your house. Read what each one needs before you buy.
GrantCheck statusApply before buying
OSFM $250 defensible space incentive
Oregon. Oregon State Fire Marshal
A pilot that mails a $250 prepaid card to homeowners and renters in selected high-hazard areas after a defensible space assessment, to encourage them to carry out the recommendations.
$250 prepaid Visa card, one per person (pilot terms effective December 2, 2024).
Apply before buying. It wants an assessment before you buy parts or start work.
- Work it may recognize
- The first 5 ft around the house
- You’ll need
- An assessment before the work and a home in a mapped hazard zone
Details and how to claim
- Details
- Eligibility needs at least two improvement areas on the OSFM checklist, such as clearing flammable vegetation under eaves, removing debris from decks and fences, and moving firewood 30 ft away. The card is not tied to receipts for specific purchases. Funding is limited and one-time; 2026 availability was not confirmed.
- How
- Request a free defensible space assessment, complete it with fire service or OSFM staff, and opt in to the incentive; the card arrives by mail within about eight weeks.
- We prepare
- Mitigation record
GrantClosed for now
Oregon Fire Hardening Grant Program
Oregon. Oregon Building Codes Division through county building departments
Grants for owners rebuilding or repairing wildfire-damaged property with fire hardening materials. Funding expired at the end of June 2025.
Closed for now. Not taking applications. Work done while it’s closed may not count. Check the official page before you buy.
- Work it may recognize
- Vents
Details and how to claim
- Details
- Examples: ignition-resistant siding and roofing, fire-resistant windows, and attic ventilation devices that reduce ember intrusion. Only for property damaged by wildfire.
- How
- Closed to new funding: no grants for work not approved before July 1, 2025 unless the legislature adds money. Contact your county building department.
- We prepare
- Grant or rebate packet
Free help
Assessments and services you don’t pay for.
Free chippingSeasonal
FireFree free yard debris disposal
Deschutes County (Bend, Redmond, Sisters, La Pine). Project Wildfire and Deschutes County (Natural Resources and Solid Waste)
Free drop-off of yard debris from wildfire mitigation at county landfill and transfer stations during spring events.
Free yard debris disposal; 2026 events ran May 15 to 24 at Knott Landfill in Bend and June 5 to 13 at the Redmond, Sisters, and La Pine transfer stations.
- Covers
- The first 5 ft around the house
- You’ll need
- A home inside the program’s boundary
Details and how to use it
- Details
- Accepts grass clippings, brush, prunings, pine needles and cones, weeds, branches, and stumps or trees up to 12 in diameter from wildfire mitigation only. No sod, dirt, rocks, lumber, metal, trash, or plastic bags. No fall 2026 dates were listed.
- How
- Bring mitigation debris to a participating site during the event dates; check the county FireFree page each spring for the schedule.
Free assessmentIn effect
OSFM free defensible space assessment
Oregon. Oregon State Fire Marshal and local fire agencies
An education-focused visit that gives home and property owners specific tips to start or improve defensible space and home hardening.
Free assessment.
- Covers
- Vents, gutters and gutter guards, and the first 5 ft around the house
Details and how to use it
- Details
- OSFM guidance: 1/8 in metal wire mesh on attic and crawlspace vents, metal gutter covers and clear roofs and gutters, and gravel, rock, or pavers in the 0 to 5 ft zone with bark mulch and flammable plants removed. Also covers 5 to 30 ft vegetation and propane tank clearance.
- How
- Request a free assessment through the OSFM map link on the Defensible Space page, or email [email protected].
- We prepare
- Mitigation record
Neighborhood programOpen
Firewise USA
Nationwide. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
A neighborhood program. Residents form a small board, get a risk assessment, write an action plan, and log the work they do each year to stay recognized. Some state insurance rules and some insurers count a recognized neighborhood.
Details and how to use it
- Details
- Community work: clearing, chipping days, and education. Your own retrofit work counts toward the neighborhood’s yearly total.
- How
- Look up recognized sites near you, or start one with your neighbors through NFPA’s Firewise USA portal. Your state forestry agency usually helps with the assessment.
In progress in Oregon
SB 82 (2023) insurance requirements took effect January 1, 2024. SB 83 (2025, signed by July 2025) voided the State Forestry wildfire hazard zone order, replaced mandatory defensible space standards with a model code the State Fire Marshal develops for voluntary local adoption, limited the wildfire hazard mitigation building code to new construction, and removed the WUI question from the seller property disclosure form. SB 85 (2025) required a DCBS and State Fire Marshal report on wildfire risk and insurance affordability due February 2, 2026. SB 1540 (2026) did not pass; the session adjourned March 6, 2026.
General information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Rules and funding change, so open the official page before you apply or buy for a program.