SPOKANE, Wash. — Hundreds of families who lost their homes to recent wildfires are beginning the difficult process of rebuilding. But before construction can start, many face another challenge: getting their insurance companies to pay.
The first step for impacted families is understanding their insurance policy—a task that can feel overwhelming because of the complex language insurers use. However, resources exist to help navigate this process.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) serves as a key resource for wildfire survivors. The agency regulates the insurance industry and helps consumers decode the often-complicated terminology in insurance policies.
According to the OIC, many wildfire survivors they have worked with were either underinsured or unaware of the full benefits available under their policies.
Amy Teshera, a Senior Compliance Analyst with the OIC, highlighted several benefits that homeowners often overlook. “Debris removal is one of them. The fact that they can get a contents advance means they can actually get some money to get back to normal living, so clothes, toiletries, things like that they can get in an advance from their insurance company,” Teshera said.
Homeowners insurance policies typically include coverage for additional living expenses, according to Teshera. To qualify for this coverage, a home must be considered uninhabitable. This benefit covers for living expenses above normal costs if a house is damaged or destroyed.
The OIC encourages families to contact their office for help reviewing their coverage, as the agency may identify benefits in policies that homeowners could otherwise miss.
Beyond immediate claims, insurance challenges could affect more than just those who lost their homes. The OIC warns that everyone in Spokane could see higher insurance rates following these fires, though the extent of rate increases may depend on where residents live.
For those rebuilding, the materials and methods they choose could also influence future insurance costs. Trent Stoker, an insurance representative with PEMCO Insurance, explained how rebuilding decisions factor into future risk assessments. “Many companies will be looking at that to say, did you go back in a way that makes you less likely to have a fire or be at risk the next time, or did you go back with traditional building materials? There are a lot of different dimensions. We won’t know all the answers to that for a while,” Stoker said.
Stoker noted that insurers will gather data to better assess risk in the area before deciding whether to raise rates.
If you are in need of help understanding your insurance policy, insurance rights or need assistance with claims, you can reach the Office of the Insurance Commissioner can be reached at 800-562-6900. The agency is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Additional information is available at insurance.wa.gov.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.