Major insurers have already stopped writing or renewing policies in states like Colorado, Texas, and Florida. And the American Property Casualty Insurance Association now reports that more than a dozen states are experiencing wildfire-related coverage losses, with over 212,000 homeowner policies dropped in California alone.

What started as a regional issue is now exposing a deeper vulnerability in how we manage — and misunderstand — risk.

As wildfires become more frequent and severe across California, homeowners are learning that their insurance coverage may not offer the protection they once assumed. Insurance isn’t just a formality anymore—it’s a battleground between risk, rising costs, and even the ability to get coverage at all.