Reports & Research

Explore proprietary research packed with data, insights, and real-world findings to help carriers make smarter decisions.

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Research

What Winter Storm Fern Reveals about Interior Water Losses and Systemic Risk

ZestyAI Product Insights

Winter Storm Fern has evolved into a historic catastrophe for the U.S. insurance industry. Between January 23-27, 2026, the storm shattered records by placing over 230 million Americans under severe winter alerts, with a death toll of 85 as of February 3rd. 

Preliminary industry estimates place insured losses at $6.7 billion, potentially making Fern the third-costliest U.S. winter storm on record, trailing Elliott (2022) and Uri (2021). The crisis is far from over. The National Weather Service warns of a "historic duration" of extreme cold, with temperatures 15 to 25 degrees below average, that continues to hamper mitigation efforts.

For carriers, Fern is a complex, multi-peril challenge. Claims teams are navigating a surge of freeze-related losses, ice-driven structural damage, and widespread business interruptions across 34 states. 

To understand the stakes, one needs to look no further than February 2021, when Winter Storm Uri brought Texas to its knees and generated over $11 billion in insured losses from a single state. Fern’s footprint is broader, and its secondary effects are still unfolding.

The Cold Hard Numbers from Storm Uri: Why Claims Explode Below 5°F

Our analysis of the 2021 Storm Uri reveals a striking relationship between temperature deviation and claim frequency for the non-weather water and freeze perils. Using data from multiple carriers, we tracked daily claim rates against minimum temperatures: before, during, and after the storm window (February 11-20, 2021).

The results show how rapidly falling temperatures can transform a routine winter pattern into a systemic loss event, allowing us to monitor the market’s response in real-time as conditions deteriorated, peaked, and normalized.

The results are dramatic:

Figure 1: Daily claim rates (blue line) surged 126X above the baseline in a temporal spike as temperatures (orange line) plunged below the 20-year average (dashed green line) during Winter Storm Uri.

The chart reveals a clear inverse relationship: as minimum temperatures dropped from the mid-40s°F to below 5°F, daily claim rates didn’t just rise, they increased 126X, from a baseline of 0.04% to 0.46% at the peak. This dramatic surge underscores the significant consequences of extreme cold events on insurance liability.

Figure 2: ZestyAI’s Z-WATER™ demonstrated an 11X increase in claim frequency between ‘Very High’ and ‘Very Low’ risk tiers during Winter Storm Uri

We used ZestyAI’s Z-WATER™ to segment the property-specific non-weather water risk across the 10-day storm window. Z-WATER™ is a risk model that accounts for how plumbing design, local climate, and infrastructure reliability interact to drive non-weather water and freeze losses. By capturing real-world dynamics, such as temperature swings that stress pipes and electrical grid failures that amplify claims, the model delivers a scientifically grounded view of property-level risk.

The results were definitive: properties that Z-WATER™ scored as ‘Very High’ risk filed 26 claims per 1,000, compared to just 2.2 claims per 1,000 for those scored as ‘Very Low’, an 11X increase in claim frequency.

This accurate segmentation reveals a clear path to managing volatility. Z-WATER™ provides a deep understanding of a home’s resilience across the full spectrum of loss mechanisms, from everyday plumbing failures to expensive outlier events like Storms Uri and Fern. By enabling precise intra-territory risk splitting, the model allows carriers to price and underwrite more reliably, ensuring premiums reflect the true risk profile while protecting the portfolio against systemic losses.

The January 2026 Storm: History Rhyming?

While we can already see the immediate impact of Winter Storm Fern, the primary difference between Fern and Winter Storm Uri is the duration of the freezing event itself, rather than any changes in how quickly policyholders are filing their claims.

As shown in Figure 1, NWW claims rise rapidly as temperatures fall and taper off quickly once conditions normalize. The risk in prolonged cold events lies in how long properties stay below the Plumbing Design Temperature; the longer the freeze, the greater the likelihood of systemic plumbing failure.

During Winter Storm Uri, extended sub-freezing conditions significantly increased the number of days in which vulnerable properties were exposed to frozen pipe failures, driving aggregate losses to historic levels. Fern is now exhibiting a similar duration profile, with sub-freezing conditions persisting for up to 10 consecutive days across parts of the Northeast. The National Weather Service has warned this “could be the longest duration of cold in several decades,” raising the likelihood of elevated losses even if individual claims remain tightly clustered in time.

For carriers, the warning signs are already flashing:

  • The Power Failure Multiplier: During the storm's peak, over 1 million customers lost power. In the South, where homes lack the heavy thermal insulation of northern properties, a power outage is the primary driver of catastrophic pipe bursts. Without active heating, a property can reach the "burst threshold" within hours.
  • The $30,000 Claim Severity Benchmark: Recent State Farm data underscores the high stakes of these events. Winter water damage claims totaled over $628 million, with the average claim payment now exceeding $30,000. For carriers, this high per-claim severity means even a moderate frequency surge can quickly erode Q1 margins.
  • Regional Fragility in the South: While the initial assessments are still surfacing, early industry estimates for privately insured losses from Winter Storm Fern puts the damage at $4 billion to $7 billion. With Texas and Tennessee identified as the hardest-hit states, carriers are facing a "Uri-style" scenario in which infrastructure wasn't designed for a 10-day deep freeze.

From Reactive to Predictive: Solving the $6.7 Billion Freeze Risk Equation

The 2021 Texas freeze taught us that traditional approaches to freeze risk are highly insufficient. Many properties that experienced burst pipes were in areas that rarely see extended freezing temperatures, meaning they lacked adequate winterization. 

This is where predictive analytics becomes essential. By modelling the interaction between property-level vulnerabilities and local temperature thresholds, carriers can better identify which properties are most vulnerable to freeze events before the damage actually occurs.

Key Risk Drivers Identified in Our Latest Analysis:

  • The Design Mismatch: The greatest risk isn't just the cold; it's the sudden change in temperature. Properties in states like Texas or Tennessee face a higher risk because they are built to release heat, not trap it. They lack the heavy insulation and deep-buried pipes needed to survive a 10-day freeze.
  • The Power Grid Vulnerability: Our analysis shows that areas prone to power outages face a compounded risk. In the South, a home’s primary defense is its heating system so when the power fails and the heater stops, the "burst threshold" can be reached in just a few hours.
  • Building Vulnerabilities: Our analysis shows that older homes and properties with plumbing routed through exterior walls are disproportionately represented among $30,000 non-weather water losses.

The Bottom Line for Carriers

The 2021 Texas freeze was a pivotal moment for the industry, generating more than 500,000 claims and $11.2 billion in insured losses in a single state. Today, Winter Storm Fern represents an even broader systemic threat, with weather alerts impacting 230 million people across more than 30 states.

While the final tally for Fern is still developing, the data is already clear: temperature shocks drive claims at exponential rates. With early industry assessments estimating privately insured losses between $4 billion and $7 billion, it is evident that the prolonged duration and geographic anomaly of extreme weather events are the primary drivers of this volatility.

For carriers looking to protect their Q1 margins, predictive analytics are no longer a luxury; they are a requirement. By analyzing property-level characteristics, regional vulnerabilities, and historical temperature deviations, you can move from reactive claims handling to proactive risk management. 

The question isn't whether another major freeze will occur, but whether your portfolio is prepared for the next 126-fold surge.

Learn More About Z-WATER 

ZestyAI’s Z-WATER™ provides the industry’s most granular view of interior water risk, helping carriers accurately and reliably assess properties in areas prone to temperature shock events. By analyzing detailed property-level characteristics alongside historical weather patterns and regional risk factors, our advanced models predict the likelihood of Non-Weather Water (NWW) and freeze claims as well as their associated severity. This deeper level of analysis empowers carriers to make smarter pricing decisions before the next major storm hits.

Methodology: Analysis based on aggregated claims from multiple Texas carriers during Winter Storm Uri (February 2021). Temperature data reflects mean daily minimums across the exposure footprint, weighted by ZIP Code to account for geographic density. The claim/exposure ratio was calculated by dividing daily claims by the average policy-day exposure.

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1CNN Weather, "More than 230 million people under alerts for potential ice, heavy snow and extreme cold," January 2026. [link]

2Fox News, "Noem coordinates with Mississippi officials as state recovers from deadly winter storm," January 2026. [link

3Insurance Innovation Reporter, “KCC Estimates $6.7 Billion in Insured Losses from Winter Storm Fern,“ February 2026 [link]

4Texas Department of Insurance, "Insured Losses Resulting from the February 2021 Texas Winter Weather Event," March 2022. [link]

 5Fox Business, “More than 1 million Americans lose power as monster winter storm sweeps across the US,” January 2025 [link]

 6Carrier Management, “Frozen Pipes Lead to $628M in Losses for State Farm,” January, 2026 [link]

7 Barrons, “Winter Storm Fern Packed a Wallop. Now the Cost Estimates Are Rolling In.,“ February 2026 [link]

Research

Nearly $1 Trillion in California Homes Labeled “Low Risk” Despite Elevated Wildfire Danger

Wildfire risk in the United States is no longer confined to the edges of forests or traditionally high-risk zones. New analysis using ZestyAI’s property-level wildfire models shows that millions of homes classified as low or no wildfire risk under federal assessments face elevated wildfire danger when evaluated at the property level.

This analysis was recently featured in Vox, which examined how wildfire behavior is evolving — and why broad, backward-looking risk maps are increasingly misaligned with how fires spread today.

👉 Read the full article on Vox → https://www.vox.com/climate/476932/california-wildfire-los-angeles-risk-ai-housing-climate

Wildfire risk is closer — and more granular — than most maps show

Many homes damaged or destroyed in the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires were still classified as “low risk” under federal wildfire assessments. ZestyAI’s property-level analysis provides a different perspective.

By evaluating individual structures — including vegetation proximity, defensible space, building characteristics, and neighborhood-level fire dynamics — ZestyAI identified more than 3,000 properties worth approximately $2.4 billion in areas impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires that showed elevated wildfire risk despite being classified as low or no risk under FEMA’s census-level assessments.

Across California, the classification gap is even broader. Approximately 1.2 million properties, representing roughly $940 billion in residential property value, are designated as low or no wildfire risk under federal maps, despite AI-driven property-level models indicating elevated wildfire danger.

Why census-level wildfire maps fall short

Wildfires do not spread evenly across census tracts or counties. Ember-driven ignition, structure-to-structure spread, wind conditions, and localized vegetation patterns create uneven outcomes, where one home survives and the next is destroyed.

Federal wildfire assessments are designed to provide a baseline view of community-level risk. FEMA has noted that its National Risk Index is not intended to serve as a property-specific risk assessment. When risk is evaluated at the individual property level, meaningful differences emerge that aggregated maps are not designed to capture.

What more granular wildfire risk intelligence enables

More detailed wildfire risk data can support:

  • Targeted mitigation efforts at the property and neighborhood level
  • More informed rebuilding and land-use decisions
  • Clearer, more defensible underwriting and portfolio strategies
  • Improved dialogue between insurers, regulators, and communities

A shift in how wildfire risk is understood

Wildfire risk is evolving faster than the systems built to measure it. Homes are no longer just adjacent to wildfire hazards; they increasingly influence how fires ignite, spread, and intensify, even in dense urban environments.

Property-level risk intelligence does not remove hard decisions. But without it, those decisions are made using an incomplete picture of where wildfire risk truly exists.

Read the full Vox article here.

Research

The Roof Age Blind Spot in P&C Insurance

Roof age is a powerful predictors of property risk, yet insurers continue to rely on self-reported data that is often wrong.   Our analysis uncovers just how costly that blind spot can be.

In property insurance, roof age is one of the most critical factors in assessing risk. Yet too often, carriers rely on self-reported or agent-supplied data that is incomplete or inaccurate.

ZestyAI’s recent analysis of 500,000+ properties revealed widespread discrepancies in reported roof age. The result? Mispriced policies, unexpected losses, and operational inefficiencies that impact the bottom line.

As climate volatility grows and reinsurance pressure intensifies, overlooking the true condition and age of a home’s largest, most exposed surface is a risk no carrier can afford.

What’s Inside

  • Uncover the biggest myths and blind spots in roof age records.
  • Understand why traditional data sources, like claims systems and permits, fall short in providing accurate roof age.
  • Learn how a multi-source verification strategy, combining aerial imagery, permits, tax records, and AI, offers a blueprint for improvement and 97% national coverage.
  • Explore why roof age is a predictor of losses across multiple perils, not just wind and hail.
  • Discover the one-two punch of verified roof age and real-time condition insights, delivering a complete view of risk, even for young roofs with hidden problems.
  • Align your roof age data with growing regulatory expectations, particularly in states like Florida.

Access the Guide.

Research

Deferred Maintenance Adds $317B in Exposure for Insurers

New research from ZestyAI reveals that 62% of U.S. homeowners are deferring critical home maintenance, adding up to $317 billion in potential claims exposure for insurers.

These findings come as Severe Convective Storms (SCS) caused an estimated $58 billion in insured losses in 2024, surpassing hurricane-related losses and marking the second-costliest SCS year on record.

Tornadoes, hail, and wind events now account for over 60% of all U.S. catastrophe claims, and research from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) shows that roof damage accounts for up to 90% of residential catastrophe losses.

Key Findings from ZestyAI’s Homeowner Survey

According to ZestyAI’s nationally representative survey, 62% of homeowners have delayed essential repairs due to budget constraints, representing nearly 59 million U.S. homes with unaddressed vulnerabilities. Forty percent said they would rely on an insurance claim to cover major repairs like roof replacement, adding up to an estimated $317 billion in potential exposure for carriers.

Alarmingly, 63% of homeowners who weren’t living in their home at the time of the last roof replacement don’t know how old their roof is, making it even harder to detect aging systems before they fail. Meanwhile, 12% admitted they would delay repairs indefinitely, further increasing their risk of property damage.

Severe Convective Storms: The Growing Catastrophe Risk

This blind spot compounds known risks: prior ZestyAI analysis has identified over 12.6 million U.S. properties at high risk for hail-related roof damage, representing $189.5 billion in potential roof replacement costs.

“Deferred maintenance has long been a known risk factor, but today the stakes are higher than ever,” said Kumar Dhuvur, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of ZestyAI. "With claim severity rising and storm losses compounding, insurers need more than hazard maps to navigate this landscape."

"Property-level insights allow carriers to proactively address known vulnerabilities, improve underwriting precision, and work with homeowners to reduce losses before they happen.”

ZestyAI’s findings support a growing push toward data-driven, preventative underwriting strategies, especially as carriers face rising claim severity and pressure to improve combined ratios across storm-prone states.

Research

Now Streaming: LA Fires in Focus – What Insurers Need to Know

What Worked, What Didn’t, and What’s Next for Insurers

With insured losses projected to exceed $30 billion, the recent Los Angeles wildfires rank among the costliest in U.S. history—reshaping how insurers think about risk, resilience, and readiness.

Watch the Full WebinarLA Fires in Focus: What Insurers Need to Know

In this on-demand webinar, experts from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the Western Fire Chiefs Association, Cal Poly’s WUI Fire Institute, and ZestyAI unpack what really happened—from frontline response to lab-based research and model performance—and share critical strategies insurers can use to prepare for what’s next.

Watch this session if you’re a Product Managers, Underwriters, Actuaries, and Risk & Innovation leaders looking to make informed decisions in an increasingly volatile wildfire landscape.

What You’ll Learn

  • Key takeaways from the Los Angeles wildfires
  • Research on structure-to-structure fire spread and resilience factors
  • How wildfire risk models performed—what we got right (and wrong)
  • Practical strategies to reduce exposure and strengthen resilience

Meet the Experts

  • Anne Cope, Chief Engineer, IBHS
  • Bob Roper, CEO, Western Fire Chiefs Association
  • Frank Frievalt, Director, WUI Fire Institute at Cal Poly
  • Kumar Duhvur, Co-Founder & CPO, ZestyAI
Research

Now Streaming: LA Fires in Focus – What Insurers Need to Know

What Worked, What Didn’t, and What’s Next for Insurers

With insured losses projected to exceed $30 billion, the recent Los Angeles wildfires rank among the costliest in U.S. history—reshaping how insurers think about risk, resilience, and readiness.

Watch the Full WebinarLA Fires in Focus: What Insurers Need to Know

In this on-demand webinar, experts from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the Western Fire Chiefs Association, Cal Poly’s WUI Fire Institute, and ZestyAI unpack what really happened—from frontline response to lab-based research and model performance—and share critical strategies insurers can use to prepare for what’s next.

Watch this session if you’re a Product Managers, Underwriters, Actuaries, and Risk & Innovation leaders looking to make informed decisions in an increasingly volatile wildfire landscape.

What You’ll Learn

  • Key takeaways from the Los Angeles wildfires
  • Research on structure-to-structure fire spread and resilience factors
  • How wildfire risk models performed—what we got right (and wrong)
  • Practical strategies to reduce exposure and strengthen resilience

Meet the Experts

  • Anne Cope, Chief Engineer, IBHS
  • Bob Roper, CEO, Western Fire Chiefs Association
  • Frank Frievalt, Director, WUI Fire Institute at Cal Poly
  • Kumar Duhvur, Co-Founder & CPO, ZestyAI
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Research

Report: Severe Convective Storm Preview 2025

Get the insights to manage risk in 2025 before claims surge.

Severe convective storms (SCS)—including tornadoes, hail, and damaging wind events—resulted in $58 billion in insured losses across the U.S in 2024.

Insurers face a dual challenge: navigating the uncertainty of storm patterns while ensuring their portfolios remain resilient enough to absorb the financial strain from clustered, high-loss events.

Research with IBHS confirms that SCS damage accumulates over time, particularly affecting rooftops after multiple exposures to intense storm activity. As housing stock deteriorates, insurers must reassess their portfolios to ensure underwriting, rating, and loss cost controls align with their risk appetite and maintain premiums that accurately reflect evolving exposure.

Get ahead of rising storm risks with expert insights that help you strengthen underwriting, risk assessment, and claims management.

Get our new report.

Research

$2.15 Trillion in Property Value at Risk as Wildfire Exposure Expands Across the U.S.

ZestyAI Identifies 4.3 Million U.S. Homes with High Wildfire Risk.

A staggering $2.15 trillion worth of U.S. residential property is at high risk of wildfire damage, according to a new AI-powered analysis from ZestyAI, the leader in climate and property risk analytics. The study, which assessed 126 million properties nationwide, found that 4.3 million individual homes face heightened wildfire risk—far beyond traditionally recognized high-risk areas.

Using advanced AI models trained on over 2,000 historical wildfires, ZestyAI mapped wildfire exposure at the property level, integrating satellite and aerial imagery, topography, and structure-specific characteristics. While California leads the nation with $1.16 trillion in wildfire-exposed property, other states such as Colorado ($190.5 billion), Utah ($100.3 billion), and North Carolina ($71.2 billion) also face significant risk.

Wildfire Risk is a Nationwide Challenge

While the Western U.S. has historically seen the most severe wildfire activity, ZestyAI’s findings confirm that high-risk properties exist across the country. States like North Carolina (4.6% of homes at high risk), Kentucky (2.9%), Tennessee (2.3%), and even South Dakota (11.0%) are now seeing increased wildfire exposure.

As more homes and businesses are built in fire-prone landscapes, the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) continues to expand. This, combined with intensifying climate conditions, is driving higher insurance costs and growing availability concerns. Today, one in eight U.S. homeowners already lacks adequate insurance coverage, and that number is expected to rise.

AI Expands Insurance Access in High-Risk Areas

Attila Toth, Founder and CEO of ZestyAI said:

"Wildfires are threatening more properties than ever before, with billions of dollars in exposure even in areas many people don’t associate with fire risk. Yet, too many homeowners are finding themselves uninsured or underinsured just as these disasters become more frequent and severe. Insurers have traditionally relied on broad, regional models that don’t account for individual property characteristics."

"That means some homeowners are denied coverage even when their true risk is much lower than their neighbors'.’"

AI-driven risk analytics are reshaping the way insurers assess wildfire exposure. By providing granular, property-specific insights, we’re helping insurers make smarter underwriting decisions—keeping coverage available in high-risk areas while ensuring that homeowners who take mitigation steps are recognized.

Last year, our models helped insurers extend coverage to 511,000 properties that had previously struggled to secure insurance due to outdated risk models. In 2025, we expect that number to reach a million, ensuring that even in high-risk areas, responsible homeowners have access to protection when disaster strikes.

 

Press Room

ZestyAI’s AI-Powered Hail and Wind Risk Models Continue Rapid Expansion with Approvals in Five States

Amid rising storm threats, regulatory approvals in Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Arkansas bring AI-driven risk insights to millions of properties.

Property and climate risk analytics leader ZestyAI today announced regulatory approval of its Severe Convective Storm Suite in Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Arkansas—covering more than 12 million residential and commercial properties. 

Severe convective storms caused $58 billion in insured losses in 2024, marking the second-costliest year on record. A recent ZestyAI analysis revealed that in these five newly approved states, more than 2.1 million properties face a high risk of filing a hail claim—putting over $31 billion in potential roof replacement costs on the line. 

Unlike traditional models, ZestyAI’s AI-driven risk models predict the likelihood and severity of claims at the individual property level by analyzing the interaction of local climatology with property-specific characteristics.

Built, tested, and validated on an extensive claims database, the models provide a granular, transparent understanding of risk—delivering the top risk factors for each property, and equipping insurers with the accuracy needed to improve underwriting, optimize pricing, and reduce preventable losses.

“Severe convective storms now cost insurers more than hurricanes, yet traditional underwriting tools don’t provide the precision needed to keep pace with rising losses,” said Bryan Rehor, Director of Regulatory Affairs at ZestyAI.

“These approvals reinforce the insurance industry’s shift toward data-driven, property-level risk assessment."

ZestyAI’s SCS models have now been thoroughly vetted and approved by regulators across 14 states—covering more than 44 million properties across the Midwest, Great Plains, and South.

Press Room

Lemonade Partners with ZestyAI to Elevate Underwriting Precision

See how Lemonade is leveraging ZestyAI’s advanced risk insights to strengthen coverage.

ZestyAI announced today that Lemonade, the digital insurance company powered by AI and social impact, has adopted the ZestyAI platform to further optimize underwriting for key catastrophe perils in the U.S., building on the company’s existing technology and underwriting operations.

ZestyAI’s predictive analytics platform leverages advanced AI models to analyze the interplay of climatology, geography, and the unique characteristics of each structure and roof, enabling precise and transparent property risk assessments.

By leveraging unique risk insights, Lemonade can make smarter catastrophe risk mitigation decisions. Additionally, ZestyAI’s proactive regulatory approach, with approvals in key states, simplifies compliance and enables Lemonade to implement these models faster.

“Since our launch, we've always been committed to using technology to create smarter, more accessible insurance products,” said Ori Hanani, Senior Vice President of Insurance at Lemonade.

“In leveraging ZestyAI’s advanced risk models, we're able to further support homeowners in securing comprehensive coverage for their most valuable assets, while also continuing to strengthen our underwriting capabilities as we continue to grow." 

Attila Toth, Founder and CEO of ZestyAI, said:

Lemonade is a natural partner for ZestyAI.

“Their innovative approach to insurance and customer-centricity aligns perfectly with our commitment to provide actionable insights that drive smarter risk decisions.”

This partnership reflects a shared vision for addressing increasing climate risks and sets a new standard for resilience, efficiency, and innovation in the insurance industry. 

Press Room

Colorado FAIR Plan Taps ZestyAI to Expand Insurance Accessibility Amid Climate Risks

AI-driven risk models to improve wildfire, hail, and wind assessments while enhancing insurance availability and affordability in Colorado.

ZestyAI today announced a partnership with the Colorado FAIR Plan to expand insurance access for homeowners facing coverage challenges.

The partnership leverages ZestyAI’s AI-driven risk models—Z-FIRE™, Z-HAIL™, and Z-WIND™—to deliver property-specific risk assessments for wildfire, hail, and wind. These insights will support risk-based pricing and help the Colorado FAIR Plan guide homeowners on mitigation strategies.

“Our mission is to ensure every Coloradan has access to insurance that reflects their property’s actual risk, not outdated assumptions,” said Kelly Campbell, Executive Director of the Colorado FAIR Plan.

“ZestyAI’s models will help us bring greater fairness and resilience to the market while equipping homeowners with practical mitigation guidance.”

Over the next year, Colorado FAIR Plan expects to provide coverage to nearly 30,000 families previously classified as high-risk under traditional models.

By incorporating granular risk data, the plan can better align premiums with actual risk while offering homeowners actionable steps to protect their properties.

Those who invest in mitigation may also transition back to the standard insurance market over time.

Colorado regulators have prioritized risk-based pricing and transparency to stabilize the insurance market. Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway has led efforts to integrate mitigation into coverage decisions, aligning with the FAIR Plan’s adoption of ZestyAI’s AI-driven insights.

“This partnership ensures risk assessments reflect real property conditions—not just broad classifications—so homeowners can access both coverage and meaningful mitigation guidance,” said Bryan Rehor, Director of Regulatory Affairs at ZestyAI.

“Through AI-powered insights, we’re helping homeowners secure risk-aligned coverage options.”

ZestyAI’s risk platform integrates aerial imagery, historical building permits, geospatial data, and structural attributes to provide precise, property-level risk insights.

Insurers using ZestyAI’s models can assess key risk factors—including vegetation proximity, roof condition, and building materials—to inform underwriting, pricing, and mitigation recommendations to policyholders.

The collaboration builds on ZestyAI’s success with the California FAIR Plan, which expanded coverage for hundreds of thousands of homeowners in 2024.

Press Room

ZestyAI Recognized as a Top Startup Employer by Forbes

We’re excited to share that, for the second year in a row, ZestyAI has been named one of America’s best startup employers by Forbes. This recognition highlights our commitment to fostering an exceptional workplace culture while fostering a healthier insurance market

What It Means to Be a Top Startup Employer

Forbes, in partnership with research firms, evaluated over 20,000 U.S. startups based on three key factors: employer reputation, employee satisfaction, and business growth. Only 500 companies made the final cut, and we’re incredibly proud to be among them.

At ZestyAI, we believe that fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment isn’t just beneficial for our team—it’s essential to our mission. By enabling insurers to make more precise, data-driven decisions, we help drive resilience across communities, ultimately benefiting the homeowners and business owners they serve.

A Remote-First, People-First Culture

As a fully remote company, ZestyAI gives team members the flexibility to design a work-life balance that fits their needs. We go beyond traditional benefits by offering an unlimited time-off policy, which includes vacation and mental health days to support well-being and prevent burnout.

For team members across North America, our local hubs bring “Zesties” together for in-person events and networking, fostering connection and collaboration.

“Culture is not just a buzzword at ZestyAI—it’s the glue that holds our team together,” said Attila Toth, Founder and CEO of ZestyAI.

“Like a great sports team, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Our commitment to collaboration and well-being empowers us to deliver exceptional results.”

Industry Recognition

This honor joins a list of awards celebrating our work. ZestyAI has also been recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies, included in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, and named to the CB Insights Insurtech 50. We have also received an AI Breakthrough Award for Machine Learning and a PropertyCasualty360 Insurance Luminary award for Risk Management Innovation.

Interested in joining us? Check out our careers page!

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