Insurers across the country are leaving high-risk areas that are affected by disasters like wildfires. Some Oregonians are experiencing insurance rate increases and are struggling with a shifting insurance market. In Deschutes County, homeowners in fire-prone areas are facing higher insurance premiums, according to The Source Weekly. 

And residents in Southern Oregon are seeing similar issues. Earlier this month, Democratic Senator Jeff Golden of Ashland held a town hall in Medford. He spoke with frustrated residents who were concerned about the state’s final wildfire hazard map, according to NBC5 News. Oregon law prohibits insurers from using the map to adjust rates. Mitigating risks through fire-wise communities and creating defensible space are some of the ways residents can show insurers they are taking action. 

We hear more about these concerns from Golden and Andrew Stolfi, the state’s insurance commissioner and the director of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business services.   

1/31 Insurers across the country are leaving high-risk areas that are affected by disasters like wildfires. Some Oregonians are experiencing insurance rate increases and are struggling with a shifting insurance market. We learn more about the challenges residents are facing in fire-prone areas.