Colorado wildfire risk score too high? Get the mitigation done, documented, and credited.
Since July 1, 2026, Colorado insurers that use a wildfire risk score have to tell you what it is, what mitigation would improve it, and how to appeal. If you’ve received that notice — or a non-renewal that cites wildfire risk — the mitigation list is a scope of work. We match you with licensed Colorado contractors who complete it and give you the documentation your appeal requires.
What Colorado law now requires your insurer to tell you
House Bill 25-1182, signed May 28, 2025 and effective July 1, 2026, applies to any insurer that uses a wildfire risk model or score to underwrite, price, surcharge, or non-renew a homeowners policy. Those insurers must:
- Provide annual written notice of your wildfire risk score and any risk classification used
- Disclose the mitigation discounts available and how they’re calculated
- Account for property-level and community-level mitigation in their models — or, if they don’t, provide discounts to policyholders who document mitigation work
- Give you a formal appeal process if your score doesn’t reflect work you’ve done
The score arrives with your renewal paperwork, not automatically on July 1. If your insurer is non-renewing you and used a risk model in that decision, the same disclosure applies. Keep that letter — everything that follows depends on it.
Colorado has no single statewide defensible-space statute. Requirements come from counties and fire districts, and insurers layer their own checklists on top. That’s why the mitigation list in your notice matters more than any general guide.
Mitigation programs Colorado insurers recognize
Two certifications carry weight with carriers here, and a contractor who’s worked toward them knows what inspectors look for:
Wildfire Partners (Boulder County) — a county-run certification with a property assessment, a mitigation plan, and a certificate on completion. Several major carriers recognize it for renewals and discounts.
IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home — the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s designation, extended to Colorado in April 2026. It comes in two levels, Wildfire Prepared Home and Wildfire Prepared Home Plus, each requiring specific hardening measures and defensible-space standards verified by a third-party evaluator.
You don’t need a certification to complete the items on your insurer’s list. But if you’re going to do the work anyway, doing it to a recognized standard gives you a document carriers already know how to read.
What’s typically on the list
Defensible space (vegetation)
- Clear all combustibles within 5 feet of the structure — no mulch, firewood, or dead vegetation
- Thin and space trees and shrubs from 5 to 30 feet; remove ladder fuels
- Extend fuel reduction to 100 feet on slopes or in dense timber
- Remove branches within 10 feet of the chimney and overhanging the roof
Structure hardening
- Class A fire-rated roof
- Ember-resistant vents (1/8-inch metal mesh)
- Metal gutter guards; gutters and roof valleys clear of needles
- Noncombustible decking or enclosed deck undersides
- Combustible fencing separated from the house
Documentation
- Dated before-and-after photos, organized by zone and item
- Written scope tied to the items in your notice
- Contractor credentials and certificate of insurance
- Where applicable, the Wildfire Partners or IBHS certificate
What it costs along the Front Range and in the mountains
| Work | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Zone 0–1 clearing, small lot | $800 – $2,500 |
| Full defensible-space clearing, standard lot | $2,500 – $7,000 |
| Steep, forested acre-plus lot | $5,000 – $18,000+ |
| Hazard tree removal (per tree) | $500 – $3,500+ |
| Vent replacement and gutter guards | $500 – $2,000 |
| Deck or fence separation work | $1,500 – $8,000+ |
| Annual maintenance after initial work | 30–50% of initial cost |
Mountain-county disposal fees and slope access drive the upper ranges. Some counties and fire protection districts run chipping programs and cost-share grants; Boulder County’s Wildfire Partners program has offered financial assistance for qualifying homeowners. Ask your county — but if your notice has a deadline, don’t wait on a grant cycle.
Where we match homeowners in Colorado
Boulder County — Boulder, Nederland, Lyons, Jamestown, Gold Hill
Jefferson County — Evergreen, Conifer, Morrison, Golden foothills
Larimer County — Estes Park, Fort Collins foothills, Red Feather Lakes
El Paso and Teller Counties — Colorado Springs west side, Woodland Park, Monument
Summit and Eagle Counties — Breckenridge, Frisco, Vail, Eagle
Douglas County — Castle Rock, Larkspur, Sedalia
Don’t see your county? Submit a request anyway. We’re adding coverage as contractors sign on.
How it works
- Tell us what your notice says. The form takes two minutes. Note the items listed, your risk score if it’s shown, and your renewal or appeal deadline.
- Up to three licensed contractors contact you. Each is checked against state and local licensing before they receive your information.
- You choose, the work gets done, and you get the paperwork. Documentation formatted for the HB25-1182 appeal process or for shopping new coverage.
There is no cost to homeowners. Contractors pay us a flat referral fee; it doesn’t affect your quote.
Every contractor we match is
- Licensed as required in their county or municipality (Colorado has no statewide general contractor license; local licensing and tree-service credentials apply)
- Carrying general liability insurance
- Able to provide dated before-and-after documentation
- Familiar with Wildfire Partners and IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home standards
Frequently asked questions
How do I appeal my wildfire risk score?
HB25-1182 requires insurers to provide a formal appeal process. Submit your mitigation documentation in writing to the insurer and request a score review. Under the law the insurer must acknowledge your appeal within 10 calendar days and issue a decision within 30 calendar days, and must give the Colorado Division of Insurance its reasons for a denial if asked. Confirm the current process with the Division of Insurance.
Will mitigation get me renewed or lower my premium?
The law requires insurers to credit documented mitigation or provide discounts, and gives you an appeal. It doesn’t guarantee any specific outcome, and underwriting decisions remain the insurer’s. We don’t contact your insurer on your behalf, and neither does the contractor.
I’m on the Colorado FAIR Plan. Does this help?
Yes. The FAIR Plan is a last-resort policy with a coverage cap and actual-cash-value limits. Documented mitigation is what moves a property back toward the admitted market.
Do I need Wildfire Partners or IBHS certification?
Not to satisfy most insurer lists. But if your carrier names one of them, or you’re shopping for a new carrier, the certificate is the document underwriters recognize fastest.
What if I already did some of this work?
Photograph and date it now, by zone and item, then submit it under the appeal process. A large share of Colorado homeowners who’ve done mitigation have never sent proof to their carrier — and until July 2026, carriers weren’t required to credit it.
MitigateMyHouse is an independent referral service. We are not an insurance agency, public adjuster, contractor, or law firm. We do not perform mitigation work, guarantee any insurance outcome, or contact insurers on your behalf. Contractors are independent businesses; verify licensing and insurance directly before signing any contract. Legal references on this page are provided for general information and reflect Colorado law as we understand it as of [date]; confirm current requirements with the Colorado Division of Insurance and your local fire protection district.