Insurance dominates conversation in Sisters

Even though it’s the heart of winter, wildfire risk is at top-of-mind in Sisters.

Several readers have contacted The Nugget to express their frustration with the recently released wildfire hazard map produced by Oregon State University and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF).

“It makes no sense at all,” said Paula Berry. “Fires come from the west. I live on the east side of town and I’m in a higher risk category than Tollgate.”

She knows this because she looked up her property on Tamarack using the state’s online map (https://tools.oregonexplorer.info/viewer/wildfire). The online tool has frustrated many in Sisters Country, some of whom also received a certified letter from ODF alerting them their property is in a high hazard zone and/or the wildland-urban interface.

Many homeowners are in a mild panic, worried that they will not have their insurance renewed or worse, cancelled. “I’m praying my insurance company doesn’t quit Oregon like they did California,” said Danielle Robard.

“My insurance went up 25 percent last year and if it does the same again this year we will literally be forced to sell. It’s just more than we can afford in retirement,” said Duff Crenshaw.

“Good luck with that,” Crenshaw’s neighbor Milt Ward said. “Who’s gonna buy a house that may not be insurable like so many will be in Sisters.”

Indeed, realtors report that some home sales have fallen out of escrow as the purchaser cannot obtain coverage.

Risk Strategies, formerly Bisnett Insurance, agent Tammy Taylor says her phone is ringing off the hook with worried policy holders.

“It’s been frustrating trying to help customers through their fears,” she said.

She advises that they not panic, and do all they can to mitigate their fire risk.

Misperceptions abound on social media and arguments occur over the rights of property owners and state protections. The biggest question seems to center around what the state can or will do to keep insurers from leaving the Oregon market or raising rates too quickly.

Insurance broker Mark Allen in Bend says his firm writes about 100 Sisters policies.

“Just because your home is in a high-risk area does not necessarily mean that your home is high risk,” he explained. “Insurance underwriters look at hundreds of parameters in assessing risk. Age of the home. Building materials. Distance to a fire hydrant. Distance to a fire station. Fencing. Landscape density. And of course, maps. But carriers have their own maps and have had them for years. The state maps are more useful to homeowners than carriers and city planners.”

Common sense appears to back him up. A home, even one literally on the edge of the forest, with a steel roof and Hardie plank siding (concrete infused), and aluminum clad windows will be far lower risk (and premium) than a house, miles from the forest with a shake roof, cedar siding, and wood clad windows contractors and insurance brokers tell us.

Others in Sisters object to the state having any influence over how they manage their properties.

“What gives them the right to take satellite photos of my home and tell me how to prune my trees,” said Ed Farley. “That’s an invasion of my privacy. It’s between me and the insurance company, and the state should butt out.”

Insurance companies routinely use drones to inspect homes they insure in Sisters.

The entire subject will be the focus of an upcoming community forum initiated by Rotary Club of Sisters and sponsored by Rotary, Kiwanis, The Nugget, and C4C (Citizens4Community).