Pali Builds newsletter, November 2026

Insurable to whom? Pali Builds 2.0 is coming

There's no single answer to whether your home is insurable. There's only insurable to a given carrier. This December, Pali Builds will show Palisades homeowners where they stand with each carrier writing in their zip, and what to do next.

Why we're building this

Nearly two years after the fire, nobody has the full picture of Palisades homeowners insurance: which carriers are writing, on what terms, and what hardening is worth to each one. Agents see their own carriers. Homeowners see one renewal notice at a time. Pali Builds 2.0 exists to put that picture in one place, and to use it to make the Palisades insurable again, home by home and block by block.

• Know where you standA carrier-by-carrier answer for every address, instead of one verdict nobody can explain.
• Spend where it countsCarriers reward complete hardening far more than scattered upgrades, so the plan puts the work in the order that pays.
• Harden togetherA neighbor's hedge is your risk too. Neighborhoods that qualify together can earn discounts no single home can reach alone.
• Bring carriers backDocumented, hardened homes and streets give carriers a reason to write here again, and we'll track who is.

What's coming for homeowners

The first three steps are free, and we handle the legwork after that.

1. Enter your addressWe pull what public records, permits, hazard maps, and aerial imagery already show about your home. You can correct anything that's out of date.
2. Answer a short interviewAbout three minutes, and only the questions records can't answer. Your answers fill out most of your homeowners application.
3. See your fit with each carrierCarriers score the same home differently, so you'll see a match list, not one grade. Your home score, which hardening can change, is kept separate from location risk, which it can't.
4. Pick your next stepDownload your completed application, have us reach agents for you, or get a hardening plan that shows what each fix is worth with each carrier.
5. Re-shop every yearWe re-score after hardening and at every renewal, and let you know when a carrier starts writing in your zip again.

Three ways to check your home, an option for everyone

Photo-verified answers carry more weight with carriers than guesses, so we'll offer three ways to confirm what's actually on your house:

• Video walkthroughWalk your home with us on FaceTime or a video call. Quick, and you don't need to schedule a visit.
• On-site evaluationWe come out and photograph the vents, eaves, roof edge, and the first five feet around your house, and confirm what you told us.
• Drone surveyAn aerial look at the roof, gutters, overhanging trees, and clearance, without anyone climbing a ladder.

Fire hardening subs: we're adding trades

The Pali Builds fire hardening directory launches in late November. Homeowners will be matched to subs based on the specific fixes their home needs, so every introduction starts with a defined scope. The directory lists subcontractors only.

• Trades we needVents and vent screens, roofing, windows, landscaping, hardscaping, carpenters, sheet metal, and fencing.
• TrainingOur IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home driven program covers both the Essential and Enhanced standards.
• VerificationLicense, insurance, and compliance documents are verified before you're listed. Verified subs carry a badge on their listing.
• ListingListings are paid, and open only to subs who meet every certification and compliance requirement.

Partners: there's room at the table

Making the Palisades insurable again takes more than a contractor. Pali Builds gathers the data and prepares the paperwork. Licensed agents do the insurance part: they quote, advise on coverage, and bind. We have partners in place for some of this work and are adding more.

• Independent brokersCompleted homeowners applications built on verified home data, sent only with the homeowner's approval.
• Captive agentsPalisades homeowners ready to quote, with their home's condition and hardening documented.
• Personal lines underwritersPhoto-verified answers, documented mitigation, and IBHS-designated homes as they come through the program.
• Fire hardening lendersHomeowners who are ready to harden and need help paying for it, with the hardening work itemized separately in every proposal so it's clear what the loan covers.