Firefighters are battling 98 large uncontained wildfires across the West. The National Preparedness Level sits at 5, the highest designation, as fires burn in California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah.
Clients in those states are calling. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) has issued guidance on what impacted policyholders should do now, and the advice translates directly into broker conversations.
For clients with lost or damaged properties, the first step is immediate: contact the insurer as soon as it is safe and open a claim. "Wildfire survivors are facing extraordinarily difficult circumstances, and insurers are committed to helping policyholders recover and rebuild," said Karen Collins, APCIA vice president for property and environment. "The most important step is to contact your insurer immediately and work closely with your claims representative throughout the recovery process."
While the claims process begins, clients should keep receipts for all emergency expenses, including temporary housing and meals. Many standard homeowners and renters policies include Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage, which can reimburse temporary housing costs during rebuilding. Clients should also begin preparing an inventory of damaged personal property as early as possible.
For clients not yet affected, APCIA's guidance opens a practical coverage review conversation. The cost to rebuild a home has risen 49% since 2020, according to APCIA, and many clients may be underinsured without knowing it. Brokers can walk clients through current limits, deductibles, and the value of maintaining a home inventory with photos, videos, and receipts.
Western wildfire coverage was already under strain before this season. Carriers have withdrawn from high-risk areas across multiple states, and some homeowners cannot find coverage in the standard market. Brokers with clients in wildfire-exposed areas should not wait for a loss event to review placement options.
A separate and less familiar coverage issue applies to agricultural clients. The Big Grass Fire, burning across southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, has scorched more than 553,000 acres according to APCIA. It is killing and threatening livestock on surrounding rangeland.
Farm and ranch clients who lose cattle face a coverage situation many general-lines brokers may not have encountered. Livestock are typically insured separately from buildings or equipment, under livestock mortality coverage, farm personal property, or a livestock endorsement. Coverage varies significantly by policy and by state.
Lyn Elliott, APCIA vice president for state government relations, said affected farmers should notify their insurer immediately and document losses with photographs and GPS locations. Clients should preserve records, including herd inventories, brands, tags, veterinary records, and sales records. Elliott added that clients should not remove carcasses before consulting their adjuster on documentation requirements.
For livestock producers, the current losses echo those from the 2024 Smokehouse Creek Fire, when 12,000 to 15,000 cattle were killed, according to APCIA.
"Farmers and ranchers who lose livestock in a wildfire should contact their insurer immediately, document all losses, maintain herd and inventory records, and keep receipts related to emergency response and recovery efforts," Elliott said.
APCIA is also calling on Congress to pass the Fix Our Forests Act, which would advance forest management and hazardous fuels reduction on federal land. The legislation has passed the House and cleared a Senate committee, but has not advanced to a full Senate vote.
"The growing frequency and severity of wildfires demand immediate action," Collins said. "Families, businesses, first responders, and communities across multiple states are paying the price for inaction."
