Oregon agency issues emergency order to pause insurance cancellations due to wildfires

The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has issued Wildfire Emergency Order and bulletin for people affected by the state’s growing wildfire situation.

This order requires all property and casualty insurance companies to take proactive measures to protect people in wildfire affected areas. The order:

• Suspends cancellations and nonrenewals
• Establishes a grace period for premium payments for all insurance policies issued, delivered, or covering a risk in the affected areas
• Extends all deadlines for policyholders to report claims or submit other communication related to claims
• Take all practicable steps to provide opportunities for policyholders to report claims

The order applies to all insurance companies transacting property and casualty insurance in Oregon. It provides temporary protections to policyholders in affected areas, including those in ZIP codes subject to wildfire evacuation notices as provided in the order. The emergency order follows Gov. Tina Kotek’s state of emergency declaration on June 16 due to the imminent threat of wildfires. Since that declaration, Gov. Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for 11 fires.

“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.”

The order protects consumers in ZIP codes under evacuation notices who may be required to leave their homes, businesses, or both, and may be unable to access their property, records, mail, internet, financial information, or other resources. Evacuation may also inhibit an insured’s ability to communicate with their insurer, make a timely premium payment, report a claim, document a loss, or perform other duties required under insurance contract terms.

Providing these temporary measures extends grace periods for premium payments and postpones cancellations and nonrenewals. They also provide relief from reporting and other required communication related to claims submission and processing for insureds, and they give relief from other duties of insureds that may be burdensome. These measures will help ensure that Oregonians do not lose insurance coverage because an evacuation notice or order was complied with.

“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 learn next steps. If you still have concerns, the division’s consumer advocates are here to help. Call 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or email dfr.insurancehelp@oregon.gov.

Visit the DFR’s wildfire insurance resource page to view the order, bulletin, and more insurance information.

Contact information
Jason Horton, public information officer
503-798-6376
Jason.A.Horton@dcbs.oregon.gov