Commissioner Kreidler’s 2023 Wildfire Symposium, part of the Climate Summit Series, highlights the issues the threat of wildfires has on the insurance market in Washington state. What is the risk to consumers? How can we work together to mitigate that risk? Is there a chance home insurers pull out of the market and leave rural residents without any options?
This series of short presentations and conversations was recorded in November of 2023. Guests and presenters include:
- Program managers from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
- Representatives from Verisk Analytics, a leading risk assessment firm.
- The executive director of the Okanogan County Long-Term Recovery Group.
- The vice president of the Reinsurance Association of America.
Note: The Climate Summit Series also featured a presentation from from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (ibhs.org). IBHS President & CEO Roy Wright discusses the "why" behind wildfire losses and what the IBHS has learned (youtube.com), through its research facility, about how wildfires behave and what homeowners can do to prepare for wildfires and mitigate losses.
Engaging Communities in Wildfire Preparedness
Guy Giffords from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ Community Resilience Program discusses the program, its outreach, and its reception.
Long-Term Recovery for Communities After Wildfire Loss
Carlene Anders, the Executive Director of the Okanogan County Long Term Recovery Group, the mayor of Pateros, and a former firefighter with the Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service, discusses wildfire mitigation and resiliency after a major fire event.
An Introduction to Reinsurance with Dennis Burke
Dennis Burke, the Vice President of State Relations for the Reinsurance Association of America, provides an introduction to reinsurance. Burke touches on the role of reinsurers, the impact of global property catastrophes, catastrophe bonds, and what the future could hold for the reinsurance market.
Risk Scoring Tools with Verisk
Roger Grenier and JulieAnna Anastassatos, from Verisk Analytics, discuss the factors at work in their risk scoring tools and how governments and homeowners can improve their risk score.