BONNER COUNTY – Property owners in Bonner County received stressful warnings this week that they could face higher home insurance premiums due to changes in the area’s fire district rating.
The potential increases stem from evaluations that happen every few years to establish Public Protection Classification scores. These ratings analyze a community’s ability to suppress fires by examining everything from equipment and staffing to training levels.
The fire chief for Selkirk Fire Rescue and EMS sent out a message Monday warning that the Westside Fire District, located close to Lake Pend Oreille could see their ratings increase from 4 to 10. Insurance companies use these scores to help set premiums, with lower scores typically resulting in lower premiums.
Ryan Scaggs, who owns Cornerstone Insurance NW, an independent insurance company serving the region, said the situation has created significant challenges for homeowners.
“Within my agency, other agencies, and other agents I have spoken with, there are a lot of people who just can’t find coverage right now or are paying through their teeth to be able to afford insurance,” Scaggs said.
Scaggs reported that some of his clients have seen premium increases exceeding 100 percent, while others have lost coverage completely.
Last year, Bonner County voters rejected several fire levy proposals that would have increased funding for the districts. Scaggs believes those failures have a ripple effect on insurance costs.
“The increases on insurance have far outweighed easily, any increase that people would have seen on their tax bill, for their property taxes with Bonner County,” Scaggs said.
For homeowners facing coverage denials or significant rate increases, Scaggs offers several recommendations:
Don’t remain with your current carrier if you’re being denied coverage or experiencing extreme rate hikesContact regional carriers like Farm Bureau or Gem State InsuranceReach out to independent agents familiar with the regionIf those options don’t work, look into independent agents through excess and surplus line carriers
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