Kuderer talks climate change, insurance market on Whidbey Island trip

LANGLEY, Wash. — The discussion started with climate change, but covered fireworks, health insurance, the current administration and earthquakes.

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer spoke to, and answered questions from, the audience on Wednesday, July 10, at an event hosted by Whidbey Climate Action and the Whidbey Island Democratic Club at the South Whidbey Fire Station.

Whidbey Climate Action grew out of the Langley City Council’s Climate Crisis Action Committee to promote community and sustainability in the fight against climate change. The group works to promote, finance and implement actions and advocacy that meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis.

“My office has been a leader in addressing climate change for decades,” she said during her introduction, “and we’ll continue prioritizing the impact that the ever-increasing risk of natural disasters poses in Washington and what we all can do to help reduce that risk.”

Kuderer addresses a series of pre-submitted questions from the audience, covering:

• Washington’s home insurance market and whether the issues impacting California could happen here.
• The state “insurer of last resort” — the FAIR Plan — and how it helps people who can’t find coverage anywhere else.
• How public policy can help reduce extreme weather risk and keep insurance available.
• How wildfire risk impacts insurance rates.

Commissioner Kuderer is also continuing her Community Connect initiative this summer to meet consumers and learn more about their insurance issues. Follow her office on social media for the latest updates.