August 21, 2009 California Wildfire News Looks Good For Wineries

Current Wildfires In California Subside, California Wine Regions Appear OK

California wildfires are all too frequent events. Not three months removed from damaging Southern California wildfires, the Santa Cruz region of the state is on the tail-end of what is being dubbed “The Lockheed Fire.” For Live Asset Insurance, the current wildfires in California are yet another reason to consider offering insurance for things like trees, shrubs, landscaping and vineyards – the live assets that produce the fruits, nuts, veggies or berries.

California Wine Regions At Risk Again From Current Wildfires In California

The Lockheed Fire-along with another blaze in the Central Coast region-have so far consumed over 92,000 acres. Each one is reported to have been largely contained (as of August 19), which is good news for firefighters and threatened residents and businesses.

The Santa Cruz wineries appear to be safe for the moment, while some of those in the Central Coast have been closed.

The California wine regions appear to have escaped unscathed this time around, but it is scenarios like these that should make any insurance broker or vineyard owner consider insurance to protect the vines themselves. For example, if one of the Santa Cruz-area wineries were affected by this wildfire and they had a policy through Live Asset Insurance, assets like the vines, trellises, clips and the irrigation system could have been covered.

Unique Live Asset Policies Fill Insurance Gaps No Other Plan Can (Or Will)

Live Asset’s winery insurance provides a solution for wineries that could face devastation at the hands of Mother Nature – like the current wildfires in California. In fact, wineries across the nation are regularly at risk to wildfires. Government-backed crop insurance excludes vines from their program. This leaves the industry – and places like the famous California wine regions – vulnerable to tremendous economic loss.

Live Asset Insurance is designed to insure only the plant, tree, shrub or vine – not the fruit, nut, vegetable, berry or spice that is produced by the live asset itself. When it comes to vineyards and wineries, our motto is “No Vine, No Wine.”

Staying On Top Of California Wildfire Information And News

Some say the best defense is a good offense. In addition to keeping up to date on California wildfire information and current California wildfires, vineyards and their insurance brokers should plan for the worst to ensure the best results. The California wine regions appear to have skirted trouble with the latest wildfires, but their live assets – the vines that produce the grapes – are sometimes worth millions. Live Asset Insurance picks up the coverage where other programs can’t

To learn more about what is going on at present in California-or just more about wildfires in the region in general-take a look at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s website.

For an example of what vineyard & winery insurance can do to protect against disaster, take a look at how Live Asset Insurance can create a policy that can protect those live assets like vines for any vineyard.