Homeowners brace for daunting future as new threats escalate insurance costs: 'Increases as high as 300%'

The latest wildfires in California have left homeowners in and outside the state uncertain about insurance coverage and rates. According to The Park Record, homeowners in Utah may experience higher insurance rates as a result of the climate crisis.

What's happening?

Over the past few years, homeowners in Summit County, Utah, have faced increasing wildfire insurance rates. In some cases, residents have lost their coverage completely, per The Park Record.

With the recent wildfires in Southern California, experts warn homeowners that rates may increase even more. As The Park Record explained, insurance companies rely on national risk assessment formulas to determine coverage. So for homeowners in Summit County, more wildfires along the West Coast equals higher risk.

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While insurance companies used to evaluate homes on an individual basis, now updated software examines communities as a whole, using average statistics to assess entire areas. As rising global temperatures cause more intense and frequent wildfires, insurance companies have used their risk software to increase premium rates or remove coverage completely in high-risk areas.

"Some Summit County homeowners have seen their insurance prices double," co-owner of C&W Premier Insurance Clair Christoffersen told The Park Record. "And homeowners associations are seeing increases as high as 300%."

Why are rising insurance rates important?

The wildfire insurance situation out West serves as yet another example of the consequences of the climate crisis. As temperatures continue to rise and result in extreme weather events, homeowners in vulnerable areas are struggling to maintain affordable coverage.

Worse still, the continued use of dirty energy only exacerbates the globe's warming temperatures, which in turn yields more powerful storms that endanger communities.

What's being done about the climate crisis and increasing insurance rates?

Politicians have proposed new legislation to address the insurance crisis in Utah. State Representative Casey Snider, for instance, proposed House Bill 48, which is specifically designed to retarget and outline risk zones using a state-run mapping system. With the state-mapping systems, homes would be evaluated based on individual neighborhoods and properties, creating fairer risk assessments for homeowners.

Outside of policy action, residents can help combat rising global temperatures by making eco-friendly changes. Simple lifestyle adjustments, such as ditching single-use plastics, transitioning toward clean energy, and shopping secondhand, can make a big difference over time.

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