The Spokesman-Review reported that one Washington resident is burning with rage after his home lost insurance coverage.

What's happening?

Retiree Marvin Lindberg no longer has home insurance. His lack of coverage didn't happen because of a lack of payment, but because insurance companies deem most of his area uninsurable. 

The reason is severe fire risk.

NASA's satellites detect active wildfires twice daily on the planet. They've increased in frequency and intensity, particularly on the American West Coast, such as the wildfires that devastated 59 square miles of Southern California, per the Los Angeles Times.

Washington, a state known for frequent rainfall, now has drier summers. State Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, told the Spokesman-Review, "We have an extra season here. It's called fire season. It's devastating."

After the 2020 Babb Road and 2025 Oregon Road fires hit Washington, there were $212 million payouts on claims. Soon, later filers would be out of luck as companies canceled or failed to renew plans.

According to the Spokesman-Review, Lindberg received a letter from his insurer stating: "This level of risk is ineligible for coverage with us."

Why is this loss of home insurance coverage concerning?

Lindberg went out of his way to protect his home, just to be coldly dumped by his insurance company. "My neighbors and myself over the last several years have probably spent $300,000 or $400,000 (total) on fire abatement," he told the Spokesman-Review.

His work included trimming trees, seeking advice from the Department of Natural Resources crew, burying a 7,000-gallon tank in his yard, and adding a 400-foot fire hose for firefighters.

Sadly, the human-caused climate change that is fueling these fires hasn't gone away. Therefore, Washington state residents are still living in a danger zone without reliable coverage.

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What's being done about the loss of home insurance?

There's a state fund for those unable to get insurance called the Washington FAIR Plan. However, it's limited and requires a payment of all premiums for the year in one lump sum.

Finding an insurer may be possible. However, as Lindberg found out, it comes at a much higher cost now, such as $15,000 annually.

"How can this be acceptable? With the cost of everything else in this world going through the roof, that is just unrealistic," Lindberg told the Spokesman-Review.

A big step in solving critical climate issues involves being more mindful of your carbon footprint, which contributes to these fires. Supporting clean energy over dirty fuels starts with driving an electric vehicle, installing solar or heat pumps, and reconsidering your banking and investment options to support green stocks. Over time, these efforts can help the planet cool down naturally. 

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