‘People will be caught by surprise’

Utah homeowners, already facing an intense wildfire season, now have to worry about being unable to repair fire damages due to losing insurance.

What’s happening?

CBS affiliate KUTV reported on the trend, which has seen homeowners across Utah abruptly dropped by their insurance companies due to the fire risk.

They quoted resident Jon Watkins, who recounted the day he received the news. “Our stomach dropped because we’ve had the same home insurance since we bought the house,” he told KUTV. “They’ve been really good to us, and we haven’t had any fires in the area. There haven’t been any big complaints. I didn’t understand why it was happening now.”

But it was true. “In 60 days we’re dropping you,” he said, remembering their letter. “Good luck.”

Even when Watkins searched for a new plan, he found something troubling: Many insurers had begun scaling back their coverage in his area, leaving him with few options.

“Brokers said they didn’t know what to tell me. No one wants to insure that area,” he told KUTV. “They were dealing with it for other people in my community too.”

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Utah insurance department commissioner Jon Pike said that the issue quite literally keeps him up at night.

“I worry that people will be caught by surprise,” he said.

Why is this concerning?

While this is unfortunate for Utah’s residents, it’s hardly a unique story. Homeowners and businesses around the country are losing affordable insurance options due to weather-related risks, often leaving them one bad storm away from financial despair.

And because these destructive weather patterns have been linked to our changing climate and global heating — which are showing no signs of stopping — they can be expected to continue.

In fact, experts have found extreme weather events such as wildfires have a way of creating a self-perpetuating cycle. And considering that we’re already experiencing a record-breaking year of heatwaves and raging wildfires, the likelihood of reversing course anytime soon is slim.

Between property damages, lost tourism dollars, lost economic opportunities, and revitalization efforts, even a single wildfire can cause damages in the billions.

What’s being done?

KUTV reported that Pike spoke with Utah’s lawmakers, urging them to consider fire safety regulations around building materials, land use, and more.

Other groups are working to innovate around building more resilient homes to withstand weather events. The first concrete 3D-printed house was recently unveiled, marking a potential solution for those homes that stand in the face of fires or hurricanes.

Another proposal is also being examined to connect international solar grids via underwater cables and create a “super grid,” which would serve to prevent power outages even when one area is in a storm.

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