Bill Would Create Grant Program to Hardening Homes; Insurers Worry About Nonrenewal Prohibition
Substitute Senate Bill 6,079 would establish the Strengthen Washington Homes grant program to retrofit dwellings to IBHS wildfire-prepared-home standards and prohibit insurers from using wildfire risk to disqualify properties that have an IBHS designation. Regulators and firefighter groups supported the pilot program; insurer trade groups said Section 7 (a ban on nonrenewal for designated properties) should be removed or modified.
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The committee heard Substitute Senate Bill 6,079, which creates a Strengthen Washington Homes grant program to retrofit homes to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) wildfire-prepared-home standard (or equivalent), administered by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner if funding is available. Grants would be contingent on required permits and meeting IBHS standards. The bill would also prohibit insurers from using wildfire risk as a disqualifying factor for properties that hold a current IBHS designation.
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