With the kind of destruction we've seen in Los Angeles from wildfire in the last few weeks there are some of us in Eastern Washington who are wondering whether wildfire insurance coverage will be available in Washington state for this season. 

The Washington State Insurance commissioner Patty Kuderer seems to feel that homeowners in Washington state, for the most part, will not experience the coverage problems of homeowners in LA. 

Deadly Wildfire Rages In Washington State
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According to krem.com,
Kuderer says that while the office is aware that some policyholders are not being renewed in high-risk fire areas, there is no evidence that insurance companies are leaving the market completely.’ 

Those of us who live in Eastern Washington are more familiar with the concept of wildfire and the possibility of having our home destroyed. It was just a few years ago that wildfire came within 10 feet of the housing development I was living in north of Wenatchee on 97-A. I had packed my bag and left the house with a Level 3 evacuation notice the night before and like my neighbors, the next day I was very happy and grateful to see that I still had a place to live. 

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Yet there are a few people who Live in high-risk areas or have lost their homes to fire, who have found it difficult or even impossible to find affordable insurance. For those people, there is another insurance possibility. 

According to krem.com.
Kuderer says those in situations like this, who receive a non-renewal notice or are unable to find other insurance, can use a state plan called the "Fair Plan" which she says should be used as a last resort. Kuderer says there are only about 300 policies on that plan, which is paid through insurance companies' reserves.’ 

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If you find yourself in a situation where you can't get insurance because of fire risk, you can go online and visit the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) and search for."wildfires and homeowner insurance" to get information on what you can do to make sure that you have adequate coverage. 

Deadly Wildfire Rages In Washington State
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Washington Insurance Commissioner addresses wildfire insurance fears | krem.com
Current Wildfire Incident Information | WA - DNR
Washington Wildfire Map - Current Washington Wildfires, Forest Fires, and Lightning Strikes | MAPO LLC

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