A new tool could make it easier for homeowners to get and better understand fire insurance coverage.

A recently approved bill, SB 429, creates a publicly accessible tool that not only tracks fires and fire risk but also outlines how insurance companies determine risk for homes in any given area and what it currently costs to insure homes in a specific region.

The goal is to give all California homeowners and potential home buyers a better idea of what it will cost to insure their houses.

The bill was sponsored by State Sen. Dave Cortese of San Jose.

Cortese said making all this information public will also give consumers more power to potentially challenge future insurance rate hikes and help them better understand how the risk is calculated.

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