Washington wildfires have produced an estimated $600 mn in insured losses so far, according to figures released by the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Residential losses account for roughly $535 mn of the total.
The fires caused the most expensive wildfire damage recorded in Washington, while Spokane County Assessor Tom Konis estimated rebuilding costs from three recent fires at more than $1 bn. Much of the insured loss is expected to come from the Spokane Complex Fire.
The Spokane Complex consisted of the Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane fires. Together they burned nearly 10,000 acres and destroyed about 900 structures.
A Cotality analysis identified 5,256 properties with at least some damage from the fires. Single-family residences accounted for 96% of those properties, with a combined reconstruction cost value of $1.9 bn.
Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer recently visited affected areas and met residents and local officials. Her office has deployed rapid response staff to help policyholders with claims and recovery.
Kuderer said feedback on insurers’ claims handling has been mostly positive. She has nevertheless raised concerns about carriers requiring policyholders to provide complete inventories of destroyed personal property before receiving payments.
Some insurers have relaxed those requirements. Kuderer said one carrier voluntarily paid 65% of a policyholder’s personal property limit without requiring a full inventory.
She said other insurers should consider similar practices and is considering writing to carriers about the issue. The aim is to reduce delays for households that lost substantial amounts of property.
Kuderer said repeated severe wildfire seasons influenced preparations at the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Her office established the Community Outreach and Disaster Response Program last year to work with residents before and after disasters.
The program seeks to reduce underinsurance before emergencies and places insurance specialists at disaster recovery centers after major events. Those staff help residents understand coverage and work through the claims process.
The office also created its Community Connect Program. Through public forums and town halls, the initiative addresses local insurance rates, coverage issues and wildfire risk.
Kuderer has also opposed efforts to weaken building codes in order to accelerate post-wildfire reconstruction. She said experiences in Lahaina and the California Palisades showed the risks associated with lowering rebuilding standards.
Insurers have told her office that properties rebuilt below existing standards could become harder to insure. Kuderer said maintaining stronger building requirements is therefore important as communities reconstruct after major fires.
The $600 mn insured loss estimate could change as claims develop. Current figures already show that residential property accounts for most of the insurance impact from Washington’s 2026 wildfire season.
She pointed to Malden, Washington, which suffered major wildfire damage in 2020 and came close to another serious loss during the Wells Road fire this year. Only one home and several other structures were damaged, but the event affected a community still recovering from the earlier disaster.
