Each year, hundreds of thousands of acres in our state are burned by wildfires. The vast majority of wildfires are ignited by people, with a much smaller percentage caused by lightning strikes. As our climate changes, the risk of wildfires remains high in Washington, especially in the drier summer months.
Here are some strategies to make sure you're prepared financially and that your living space is as resilient as possible against the threat of wildfires.
How insurers cover fire
All standard homeowners’ insurance policies (and property insurance policies) in Washington include protection against fire damage. Insurers must offer this coverage using terms that are just as good as the state's official model policy. Most insurance companies also include damage and risks resulting from fire-related heat, smoke, soot, and fumes.
See WAC 284-20-010 for more details on Washington's model fire policy.
Prepare now by reviewing your policies
Regularly reviewing your home and auto insurance policies, preferably with your agent or broker, is one of the best ways to make sure you're financially resilient and prepared for natural disasters.
Look for these key coverage types in your policies. Check in once or twice a year with your agent or broker to make sure you're not underinsured and that your policies include any additions or improvements you make throughout the year.
Home and renter insurance
Most standard home and renter insurance policies cover wildfires as part of their fire coverage. Look for these coverages and discuss your policy limits with an agent or broker to make sure they'll meet your needs and cover the cost to repair or replace your property.
Dwelling (Coverage A on home and renter policies): Covers the cost to repair or rebuild your property's main structure and attached fixtures. It's less common on renter policies, but may be added to cover the cost of improvements or alterations you make to your living space.
If you've made significant upgrades while you've lived in your home, tell your insurer so they can make sure you have sufficient coverage.
Other Structures (Coverage B on a home policy): Covers the cost to repair or replace detached buildings and structures on your property, such as garages, sheds, or fences. This coverage typically has a limit of 10% of the dwelling coverage on your policy unless you increase it. For renters, this is usually covered by the landlord's policy.
Personal Property (Coverage C on home and renter policies): Covers your personal belongings such as furniture, electronics, appliances, and most household items. Some types of property, such as jewelry, cash, and firearms, have lower limits of coverage unless you "schedule" them. Scheduling these items means listing them as separate items on your policy with coverage limits for their full value. Your agent will tell you if any of these items require an appraisal before they're covered.
Talk to your agent about the difference between covering personal property at its full replacement cost versus its actual cash value. Actual cash value coverage accounts for depreciation and may pay far less than you expect.
If you're unsure if an item is covered, ask your agent. Don't assume it's covered.
Loss of Use (Coverage D on home and renter policies): Covers the extra cost of living somewhere (called additional living expenses in your policy) other than your home while it's being repaired, rebuilt, or when a local evacuation order is put in place. It can cover costs like hotels, laundry, extra food expenses, and transportation. As costs increase and families grow and change, it's important to regularly review this coverage with your agent or broker to make sure you have enough in your policy limits.
Auto insurance
Wildfire damage to your vehicle is not covered by liability or collision coverage on an auto policy. You must have comprehensive coverage for your vehicle to be protected from a wildfire loss.
If you have comprehensive coverage for your vehicle, it's still protected by your policy even if you leave it during a mandatory evacuation. It will cover your vehicle if it's damaged by heat, smoke, ash, or by emergency responders fighting the fire.
How wildfire risk can affect your insurance
As wildfire risk grows in parts of Washington, it’s helpful to know a few key things that can affect your coverage and your options.
Check your policy deductibles
In some higher-risk areas, we're seeing policies with separate, higher deductibles for damage caused by wildfires. Review your policy's declarations page to make sure you're not surprised by a higher wildfire deductible.
Insurers consider wildfire risk scores
Insurance companies use science-backed, wildfire risk models to assign a "score" to your home. These are based on factors such as building materials, nearby vegetation, location, and fire-defensible space around your home. Learn about our work to bring greater transparency to wildfire risk scores and help homeowners in high-risk areas qualify for coverage.
Nonrenewals and cancellations
In areas where wildfire risk is high, homeowners may see an increase in policy nonrenewals and cancellations. Whenever an insurer cancels or nonrenews a policy, they have to give you written, advance notice, and they have to tell you the reason.
A policy nonrenewal is when an insurer continues your coverage to the end of the policy's term but won't renew it. If an insurer decides not to renew your policy, they have to give you 60 days of notice, per RCW 48.18.2901.
A policy cancellation is less common. Cancellations usually happen when you don't pay your premium or when your policy is relatively new, like if you’ve just started with a new company. Insurers often inspect new properties that they’re insuring, and they may cancel the policy if they see things like trees growing close to the home, brush or debris on the ground, or flammable items stored outside. Standards vary, so a property that one company won’t insure might be fine with another.
You always have the right to shop around if your insurer cancels or doesn't renew your policy. You can look up licensed insurance agents and companies on our website.
If you can't find coverage for your home, you can call the Washington state Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) plan at 425-745-9808. If you can't find coverage for your vehicle, you can call the Washington state Automobile Insurance Plan at 800-227-4659.
Tips to reduce your wildfire risk
These high-level tips can help strengthen your home's wildfire resilience. For a more comprehensive look at wildfire mitigation strategies, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.
Create a fire-defensible space around your home
Clear dead leaves, pine needles, and flammable materials around your home. Make sure they're also cleared from decks, roofs, and gutters regularly. Keep tree branches and shrubs at least 10 feet away from your home. If possible, create a 5-foot space around your home using gravel or concrete. Avoid using wood mulch close to your home.
Learn more about creating fire-defensible space around your home from Washington state's Department of Natural Resources.
Harden your home/structures
Look around your home for opportunities to reinforce its ability to withstand wildfire damage. If your home needs repairs, make it a point to use fire-resistant materials for your roof and siding. Use metal mesh to cover attic vents and areas under decks to prevent flammable debris from accumulating and hot embers from spreading.
Take a good look at your yard and landscaping
Move firewood at least 30 feet away from your home. Store propane tanks and gasoline away from your home. Trim any lower branches at least 6-10 feet away from the ground to keep fires from easily climbing trees. Keep shrubs and trees at least 10-15 feet apart, and consider fire-resistant plants that hold a lot of moisture for landscaping and erosion control. Ensure your driveway is accessible to firetrucks and emergency responders.
Check out these guides to fire-resistant plants from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources:
Look into the Wildfire Prepared Home program
The Wildfire Prepared Home program helps Washington homeowners in high‑risk areas make their properties more resistant to wildfires. By following proven, science‑based steps from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, you can lower your home’s risk and improve your resilience during wildfire season.