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Bill

HB 2277

Concerning wildfire risk models and score disclosure.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Hunter Abell and 11 co-sponsors

HB 2277 mandates Washington insurers disclose wildfire risk models and scoring methods to increase consumer transparency and accountability in fire hazard assessments.

First reading, referred to Consumer Protection & Business.
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Bill Summary · HB 2277

Legislative bill overview

HB 2277 requires insurance companies and other entities to disclose wildfire risk models and scoring methodologies used in Washington state. The bill establishes transparency requirements around how properties are assessed for fire hazard risk, which directly impacts insurance pricing and availability decisions.

Why is this important

Wildfire risk assessment significantly affects insurance premiums and policy availability, yet consumers typically have little visibility into how insurers calculate these risks. Disclosure requirements could help homeowners understand why they're denied coverage or charged higher rates, and could expose any discriminatory or outdated modeling practices. This is increasingly critical as climate change intensifies fire seasons and insurers withdraw from high-risk markets.

Potential points of contention

  • Insurance industry concerns: Insurers may argue that disclosure of proprietary risk models and algorithms constitutes trade secret protection, and that transparency could disadvantage them competitively or enable gaming of the system
  • Implementation costs: Requiring disclosure frameworks and ongoing updates to methodologies could increase administrative burden and costs that insurers may pass to consumers
  • Model accuracy disputes: Property owners disagreeing with risk scores could face litigation challenges, and regulators must determine what "accuracy" standards apply to predictive models that involve inherent uncertainty

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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