Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer signed an emergency order on Monday that protects residents affected by wildfires. They will no longer face the cancellation of homeowners’ and auto insurance policies for nonpayment: companies must provide a 45-day grace period to make payments, not charge late fees, and extend policy terms. The order runs until September 30 and applies to all ZIP codes where fires destroyed buildings or where an evacuation was declared, as well as neighboring areas.
The decision comes in response to one of the most destructive fire-prone seasons in the state’s history. Over the weekend, three major fires around Spokane forced more than 60,000 people to evacuate and destroyed about 700 structures. The National Weather Service warned of an “especially dangerous situation” due to heat, dryness, and strong winds—conditions that help fires spread rapidly. Kuderer expressed condolences to everyone affected and emphasized that the top priority right now is keeping people safe.
The issue of insurance coverage is becoming increasingly acute for Washington residents: due to the high risk of wildfires, insurers are broadly refusing to renew policies or are raising prices. Only in 2023, insurers did not renew nearly 34,000 homeowners’ policies out of about two million—23% more than the year before. The commissioner vowed that her office will work out of disaster assistance centers and provide detailed instructions for filing insurance claims online, so residents can rebuild their property more quickly and get through this difficult period with peace of mind.
Based on: WA residents affected by wildfires get extra time to pay insurance bills