Big wildfires had started burning more often in California, creeping closer to Beth Pratt's home near Yosemite National Park. So Pratt did what homeowners in fire-prone areas are supposed to do: She added a metal roof, traded wood decking for laminate, installed a water tank and a fire hose, and cleared vegetation near her house. Pratt says she emptied her savings to make her "home for life" fire resistant.
But it didn't matter. Earlier this month, Pratt got a letter from Allstate, her home insurer of 31 years, saying her coverage was being dropped because of the threat from wildfires. "I get companies need to make money. I have no problem with that. Increase my rate," Pratt says. "But to just drop people — you know, it's scary. It leaves us feeling extremely vulnerable."
