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Committee hears bill to require insurers to explain wildfire-risk scores on request
Summary
A bill heard by the Senate Business and Labor Committee would let insured homeowners request an explanation of wildfire-risk or "nat cat" scores insurers use for underwriting and nonrenewal decisions. Proponents, including insurance agents and FireSafe Montana, said the change would give consumers information to correct errors or take mitigation.
Rep. Curtis Schomer, sponsor of House Bill 533, told the Senate Business and Labor Committee that HB 533 would require insurers using a wildfire risk score when underwriting residential property to provide an explanation of that score to the insured or their producer upon request.
The bill’s supporters told the committee they framed HB 533 as a consumer-protection measure aimed at transparency around third-party wildfire or "nat cat" scores used by insurers. "This puts some information back into the insured's hands so they can either make the changes or make some kind of appeal to the insurance company," said Bob Biskupiak, who identified himself as representing the Independent Insurance Agencies of Montana and as a board member of FireSafe Montana.
Why it matters: witnesses said homeowners are facing nonrenewals or moves to surplus-lines markets after a…
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