New California rules aim to lower property insurance rates

California's insurance commissioner announced new rules on Friday aimed at lowering premiums for people who make improvements to their property to resist wildfires. Ricardo Lara said the new rules will require insurance companies to factor property owners' improvements into the pricing of residential and commercial coverage. He said the new rules could take effect this summer. Friday's announcement follow's last week's news that the state is setting new insurance standards. Those new standards include a fire-resistant roof, at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) of defensible space around a home, a clearly defined evacuation route in a neighborhood and removal of vegetation overgrowth.