Marvin Lindberg thinned the trees around his rural Spokane property, installed a 7,000-gallon water tank, and coordinated with a neighbor who fitted an 80,000-gallon swimming pool with fire-suppression hookups. Two families investing in each other's survival. His insurer cancelled him anyway, based on a wildfire risk score tied to his ZIP code. Lindberg couldn't see the score, couldn't contest it, and couldn't get credit for the work he'd done.
Washington's emergency order, issued August 3, requires insurers to give 120 days' notice before dropping homeowners in fire-affected areas, double the usual window. It expires September 30. Families get more time to search for replacement coverage, but nothing in the order requires any insurer to write a new policy.
Two bills that would have addressed score transparency and mitigation credit passed the state Senate this session with broad bipartisan support. Both died in a House committee.
The scale: Homeowner cancellations and nonrenewals in Washington doubled from 11,763 in 2021 to 24,106 in 2025.
The order covers: Extended notice periods, payment grace periods, and a ban on cancellations for nonpayment through September 30, 2026. Can be extended 30 days.
The order doesn't cover: Score transparency, mitigation credit, or any obligation to renew.
SB 5928 (passed Senate 48-1): Would have required insurers to share wildfire risk scores and allow appeals. Stalled in the House.
SB 6079 (passed Senate 37-11): Would have protected homeowners meeting national wildfire-hardening standards from cancellation. Also stalled.