Area characterisation:
Terrestrial
Objective:
Reward forest thinning with lower premiums
Financing:
Private
Potential impacts/benefits:
- 39% lower premium for nature-managed land
- 89% lower deductible versus unmanaged properties
- Demonstrates NbS reduces wildfire insurance costs
- Replicable model for California's insurance crisis
Actions:
First wildfire-resilience policy crediting forest mitigation such as thinning and prescribed burns; achieved a 39% lower premium and 89% lower deductible on 1,345 acres, supported by empirical risk-reduction analysis.
Organisations:
The Nature Conservancy, WTW, Globe Underwriting, Tahoe Donner Association, UC Berkeley
Contacts:
Case study referred by NATURANCE. For more information, please contact: info@naturance.eu.
The Nature Conservancy and WTW have launched a first-of-its-kind wildfire resilience insurance policy that accounts for forest fire mitigation efforts, structured for Tahoe Donner Association in Truckee, California. The $2.5 million coverage, developed in collaboration with UC Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, demonstrates that ecological forest practices such as tree thinning and prescribed burns can reduce insurance costs. The policy covering 1,345 acres of forested and recreation land achieved a 39% lower premium and 89% lower deductible compared to properties without nature-based forest management. Globe Underwriting provided empirical analysis supporting the risk reduction assessment, offering a model for addressing California's insurance crisis amid widespread policy non-renewals.
Sustainable Development Goals:
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13. Climate action
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15. Life on land
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11. Sustainable cities and communities