BOISE FOOTHILLS, Idaho — It’s a story playing out more often across Idaho — homeowners in places like the Boise Foothills are watching insurance rates skyrocket, with some policies being canceled altogether all because of wildfire risks.
“I mean, I understand the risk, the risk is real,” said Scott Montgomery, who lives in the Warm Springs Mesa.
Montgomery and his neighbors are no strangers to fire danger. He points to the Valley Fire last year and the Table Rock Fire a few years earlier, both of which burned dangerously close to home.
WATCH: Montgomery explains how his insurance has been canceled due to wildfire risks
That risk, he says, has been reflected in his premiums.
“The last four years it’s actually gone up 100%, I mean, last year it was 60%,” he said.
Not only did his policy jump by 60% last year, but just last week, he received a nonrenewal letter from his insurance company dropping him from coverage completely.
“Well, I think I took it personal to start with. You know, I thought, really, 55 years — can’t you come out and look at our property and see what we’ve done?" said Montgomery.
He pointed to the extensive precautions he takes every year to reduce fire danger around his property — from clearing brush to removing trees that could catch embers — a lot of effort goes into hardening his home against fires.
Idaho News 6 reached out to his ex-insurance provider and confirmed the decision to drop his coverage was based on wildfire risk models. The agent said they do not do in-person property inspections, even if the property was heavily fortified against wildfires — it wouldn't matter from an insurance stand point.
The agent also said many insurers are taking a cautious approach after losing billions of dollars in the recent California wildfires — leaving Idahoans who live in wildfire prone areas either with huge premiums or no coverage at all.
“We have not had the same situation that neighboring states have had with loss of homes on a massive scale because of fire, but we are being punished like it has happened here in Idaho by insurance carriers,” said state Rep. Monica Church (D), who represents District 19.
Church said she has received more than 100 responses to a survey about Idahoans facing insurance hikes or cancellations.
“I think we’re in a position right now where Idahoans need help maintaining their homeowners' insurance,” she said.
“This losing your insurance thing is crazy, and it’s happening to people all over Idaho," added Montgomery, who said he’s shopping around for new providers.
So far, most of the quotes are thousands of dollars more each year than his previous coverage.
