Show Notes
One of the best things a homeowner in a wildfire-threatened area can do to protect their home, and its insurability, is to meet the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety’s Wildfire Prepared Home designation. The Wildfire Prepared Home designation recognizes that a home has been built with wildfire defense in mind and requires a property to meet a checklist of proven mitigation actions. IBHS added Washington to its list of eligible states in April, and John Mallena of Winthrop is the first homeowner with a Wildfire Prepared Home certificate. On this episode of OIC Answers, host Aaron VanTuyl and OIC Senior Property and Casualty Policy Advisor David Forte meet John at his home for a tour and discuss the process and the rationale behind building to IBHS standards. Learn more about wildfire risk and insurance. Learn about Commissioner Patty Kuderer's Strengthen Washington Homes grant program.
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The Office of the Insurance Commissioner deployed staff to the Disaster Assistance Center at Shadle Park High School immediately after the Spokane Complex Fire started in early August. On this episode of the OIC Answers podcast, the two OIC staffers who spent the most time in Spokane helping with fire recovery discuss what they saw, what they learned, the benefits of having insurance companies send representatives to the DAC to help with claims, and what people might not realize about their home insurance until it’s too late.
On this episode of OIC Answers, hosts Aaron VanTuyl and Matt Baide provide a quick update on the OIC's response to the Spokane Complex Fires. Staff from the agency's consumer advocacy team will be on hand to answer questions and help fire survivors at the Shadle Park Disaster Assistance Center starting the morning of Thursday, August 6. Note: The Shadle Park insurance information event, originally scheduled for August 5, has been cancelled.