Wildfires

Many homeowners and renters insurance policies help pay for extra expenses if you are unable to live in your home. This payment is called additional living expenses, or ALE. Every company handles these expenses differently. Check with your company for specifics.

ALE fact sheet

If you receive an advance payment from your insurance company, be sure to understand what it covers.

Advance payments usually cover additional living expenses or a portion of the personal property settlement.

Regardless of what it covers, the payment is not a grant. Your final payment will be reduced by the amount of the advance. It is OK to accept an advance payment. It will help cover some early expenses, just be sure to understand what it covers.

​​ Wildfire debris cleanup can be very expensive. On Oct. 23, 2020, the Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board approved funding to begin ash and debris removal. Homeowners and businesses may want to consider this option to reserve insurance benefits for rebuilding. Visit wildfire.oregon.gov/cleanup to learn more about the state coordinated effort​.

Before you do any cleanup, or hire anyone to clean up wildfire debris, review the guidance from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality .

If you have questions, you can call the wildfire debris cleanup hotline at 503-934-1700 or email odot.wildfire@odot.state.or.us.

Remember to work closely with your county officials and insurance company in this cleanup process.

Every policy has deductibles. This is the amount you pay to help cover the claim. Everyone’s case is unique, so contact your insurance company for the details of your specific policy coverage. Be sure to understand how your deductible applies to your claim.

• ​If you file a claim with your insurance company, your insurer may require a damage inspection before you start repairs. Try to prevent further damage or theft by making temporary repairs, save receipts for temporary work, and check with your insurance company before beginning repairs.
• Do not get rid of anything that is damaged until your insurance company has seen it and said you can toss it out.
• One of the most daunting tasks of the claim process can be filling out an inventory of your damaged personal items. Your insurance company needs this to document the personal property that is damaged or destroyed. Take your time; you do not need to give every item to your adjuster at once. Just make sure to ask how long you have to submit your list.
  • Prepare a list that includes the item, the age, the approximate original cost, and the approximate replacement cost.
  • Do not dispose of the damaged items until your adjuster can view them. Take photos of the damaged items yourself.

​​​Several insurance companies have agreed to extend timelines to at least two years after the date of loss for wildfire victims to rebuild homes and replace personal property damaged by the Labor Day wildfire disaster.

These insurance companies have also agreed to waive restrictions on where a person may rebuild their home. The insurance benefit limit in most policies is based on the cost to rebuild at the address stated on the declarations page of the policy and may not include increased costs associated with rebuilding in a new location.

The rebuild agreement does not extend the amount of additional living expenses available under a policy, and it does not alter any other terms of the policy contract. See the terms of the agreement for more details.

These insurance companies have signed on to this agreement. This list will be updated as other companies sign on. If you have questions about the agreement or your claim, or if you do not see your insurance company on the list, contact your agent or insurance company for more information.

If you still have questions or concerns, the division’s consumer advocates are here to help. Call 888-877-4894 (toll-free) or visit dfr.oregon.gov/help to connect with the Advocacy Team.

• ​After the investigation is completed and the insurance company is ready to settle your claim, it will typically be paid in two steps:
• Step 1 – Actual cash value. This means the initial payment will be for the value of the damaged property at the time of loss. This is established by depreciating the cost of the repairs and the replacement cost of the damaged personal property. The initial payment will be less than the full amount needed to do the job, but it will help you get repairs started, or begin purchasing replacement property.
• Step 2 – Replacement cost. Once the repairs are completed, or a new item is purchased, the company will reimburse you the difference between the actual cash value and the full repair or replacement cost. You will have a deductible that applies to the entire loss.
• Be sure to talk to your insurance company about your specific policy and how payments will be made.