Insurance

As many homeowners face a growing insurance crisis, state leaders across the region are considering reforms. Two groups have recommendations for them as state legislatures begin convening again.

A consumer advocacy group is asking top insurance companies to adopt a list of nine protections aimed at increased transparency and fairness.

In January, the world watched in horror as fires marched through multiple Los Angeles neighborhoods, leaving behind blocks of smoldering foundations. A recent report tried to calculate how much it would cost to rebuild the structures lost to better withstand the next blaze.

Wyoming lawmakers wonder if more fuel management on ranches will help in the face of high insurance costs.

The Casper-based Friends Foundation recently started a grant program covering a family’s full insurance deductibles. The foundation helps families pay for travel expenses, as patients typically must go to Colorado or Utah for specialist care.

Nationwide, the percentage of household income spent on homeowners insurance premiums nearly doubled between the early 2000s and 2022 – jumping from 1.2% to 2.1%. That’s according to recent analysis by the Insurance Research Council, an industry-supported nonprofit. Their projections suggest it could already be at 2.4 percent.

The 'Big Beautiful Bill' cuts Medicaid spending by $1 trillion over 10 years. Wyoming healthcare stakeholders say as a result, thousands will lose insurance, and hospitals and nursing homes are at a higher risk of closing.

Homeowners insurance is getting more expensive and harder to keep. Lawmakers in our region introduced more than a dozen policy proposals in response this year.

In recent months, the U.S. Senate Budget Committee and the Federal Insurance Office have each released detailed data on insurance premiums, non-renewals and other key metrics. The advocacy groups Public Citizen and The Revolving Door Project brought that data to life with interactive maps.

Wyoming is the latest state to let electric companies off the hook if they create a wildfire mitigation plan. But homeowners can still sue if utilities fail to follow those plans.