Governor Kotek Moves to Protect Homeowners During Wildfire Emergency

Salem, OR - Today, Governor Tina Kotek directed the Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) at the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) to immediately prohibit insurance carriers from canceling or nonrenewing homeowners insurance policies for people affected by Oregon's growing wildfire emergency.

"Last week, I met with fire response teams and community members in Sisters currently challenged by the Akawa Butte Fire," Governor Kotek said. "I could not be more proud of the way Oregon communities are supporting each other during this time, but the last thing anyone needs to worry about in this moment is losing their homeowners insurance. I'm taking immediate action with this directive to ensure that families and communities across the state that are or will be responding to the catastrophic effects of wildfires this summer are provided with stability and certainty during this ongoing wildfire state of emergency."

Authorized under ORS 731.870, the directive ensures continuity of insurance coverage and requires all property and casualty insurers to take proactive steps to protect homeowners in wildfire-affected areas. Under the order, insurers must:

• Suspend cancellations and nonrenewals
• Provide a grace period for premium payments
• Extend deadlines for reporting claims or submitting claim-related communications
• Take all practicable steps to ensure policyholders can report claims

These protections apply to all insurance companies transacting property and casualty insurance in Oregon and cover policyholders in ZIP codes subject to wildfire evacuation notices. The directive follows Governor Kotek's June 16 state of emergency declaration due to the imminent threat of wildfires.

"We issued this order to make sure evacuees and other Oregonians affected by these wildfires are able to access the insurance resources they need, especially while they are displaced," Oregon Insurance Commissioner TK Keen said. "We appreciate all the work our state's insurance representatives are doing to help their customers right now, and we encourage everyone to be patient and work together throughout the recovery process."

If your home or property was damaged by the wildfires, contact your insurance company as soon as possible to discuss your situation and next steps. If you need additional assistance, DFR's consumer advocates are available at 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or email [email protected]. Visit the DFR's wildfire insurance resource page to view the order, bulletin, and more insurance information.

Go to Wildfire.Oregon.gov for fire updates and sign up for emergency notifications on oralert.gov.