WASHINGTON, D.C. — As survivors of the recent wildfires in the Spokane, Washington area begin the challenging process of finding temporary housing and rebuilding their lives, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and United Policyholders (UP) shared tips and resources to help residents get their homeowners insurance claims paid in full and on time. UP offers free guidance on post-disaster repairs, rebuilding and insurance rules through a Roadmap to Recovery(R) program. 

“If your home was damaged or destroyed, take photos before debris gets cleared or repairs begin, get a complete and current copy of your home insurance policy, and keep notes on all conversations with insurance company representatives and contractors,” said Amy Bach, Executive Director of United Policyholders. “If your insurer is not stepping up or treating you fairly, speak up.” Bach recommends that impacted households visit UP’s Spokane fires Roadmap to Recovery claim help library early and often: www.uphelp.org/2026SpokaneFires

“People have paid premiums for years so that when a disaster strikes they have the resources to repair or rebuild their homes and lives,” said Douglas Heller, CFA’s Director of Insurance. “Too often, insurers make the recovery process a second and seemingly endless catastrophe of its own, and that should never be allowed.”

The groups said homeowners with insurance and damaged property should take the following steps: 

1. Take care of your family’s needs first and follow the instructions of public safety personnel. 
2. As soon as you can, contact your insurance company, report your claim and ask for a copy of your policy. When arranging temporary housing, check the available amount of benefits your policy provides for Additional Living Expense (ALE). 
3. Keep receipts for all costs you incur due to losing the use of your home and submit them for reimbursement.
4. Ask your insurance company for a cash advance for additional living expenses (ALE) and to start replacing your belongings.
5. Thoroughly document the damage to your home in photos and videos, but only to the extent that it is safe to do so. Try to keep damaged items from being removed before they have been photo documented. 
6. Keep a daily journal, noting every conversation or interaction you have with insurance company adjusters, repair professionals, and anyone else you might hire. Note the name, date, and time of the contact. 
7. Check the reference and license status of all contractors before you hire or assign any of your insurance benefits to any professional. Unfortunately, post-disaster scams are quite common. Local help is preferable but if it is not available, be careful and vet out-of-the-area pros before you sign anything. 
8. Contact your Insurance Department if you encounter problems. Their information is below:
   Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner 
   Consumer hotline: 800-562-6900

CFA and UP are also calling on state and federal officials to set clear expectations for insurance companies and to hold insurers accountable if they low-ball or improperly deny claims, delay payments, or make the claims process difficult to navigate. Noting California’s investigation of complaints against State Farm after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, which found hundreds of violations related to the insurance giant’s claims handling, as well as UP and CFA’s experience supporting survivors of many catastrophic events over the decades, the groups identified several potential problems fire survivors may encounter.  These include:

• Underinsurance – Many people who lose their homes in wildfires find themselves unexpectedly underinsured for rebuilding costs, temporary living expenses or upgrades required by local building codes. If this applies to you, educate yourself on your options.
• Rotating adjusters, poor communication: Your insurer is legally required to process your claim promptly and fairly and keep you informed, but that doesn’t always happen.
• Burdensome and unnecessary requirements to itemize and value every single item you lost.
  No insurance – using 2021 census bureau data, CFA estimated that about six percent of all homes in Washington state were uninsured.
• Claim payment delays – Once it’s clear that you’re owed money, your insurer should deliver those funds to you promptly. CFA recently reported on the perverse incentive in the insurance system that allows the insurance industry to earn as much as $8.8 million a day in investment income when homeowners insurers fail to make timely payments of claims.

CFA and United Policyholders urge the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner to closely monitor insurer claim handling, consumer complaints, and claim payouts, and to respond swiftly to any abuses.