| Morning, Boise |
| This summer, the Claremont Fire burned 6,627 acres in the Boise Foothills before it was fully contained on August 4. That fire alone is a good reason to understand what's been happening to property insurance across the state, and what it could mean when your renewal lands. |
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By the numbers
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$24.52 million
Idaho wildfire-related paid losses in 2024
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23.5%
auto claims flagged as total losses, first half 2026
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nearly $21 billion
U.S. cyber-related losses in 2025
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1
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Idaho's Wildfire Insurance Crunch Is Getting Documented |
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2
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Older Cars Are Getting Totaled More Often, and That Affects Your Deductible Math |
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3
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Cyber Coverage Is Getting More Affordable, but Most Small Businesses Still Skip It |
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4
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One in Four Rideshare Vehicles Has an Unfixed Recall |
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5
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Around Boise: Steelheads Home Opener: Idaho Steelheads vs. Allen Americans, and 2 more coming up |
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The lead 路 LOCAL WATCH
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Idaho's Wildfire Insurance Crunch Is Getting Documented
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| The Idaho Department of Insurance issued Bulletin 26-02 on April 30, 2026, ordering every insurer writing homeowners and dwelling fire policies in Idaho to report their wildfire-related market activity, because the numbers were already telling a difficult story. |
| Statewide wildfire-related paid losses climbed to $24.52 million in 2024, up from $16.05 million in 2022. A predecessor data call found that roughly 22 to 25 of Idaho's 91 property insurers had non-renewed some or all of their policies, at least partly over wildfire exposure. The department has noted that insurers have increasingly adjusted premiums, modified coverages, and in some cases paused or stopped writing new business in higher-risk areas of the state. |
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Why it matters: If your home sits in or near the Boise Foothills or any other area that sees fire activity, your coverage options and your premium at renewal may look different than they did two years ago, and it's worth going through your policy before that letter arrives.
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Read at Idaho Department of Insurance →
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AUTO COSTS
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Older Cars Are Getting Totaled More Often, and That Affects Your Deductible Math
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| A new mid-year report from CCC Intelligent Solutions shows that 23.5% of auto insurance claims in the first half of 2026 were flagged as total losses, with vehicles seven years or older making up 74.3% of those valuations. |
| The share of driveable vehicles declared total losses reached 11.2%, up from 6.3% in 2022. At the same time, more drivers are carrying higher deductibles: 28.4% of repairable collision claims now carry a deductible of $1,000 or more, compared with 20.3% in 2022. The average adjusted vehicle value for older cars has stayed relatively flat, which means a moderately damaged older vehicle can tip into total-loss territory faster than many owners expect. |
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Why it matters: If your car is more than seven years old and you've raised your deductible to keep the premium down, it's worth knowing what the vehicle is actually worth today before you assume comprehensive or collision still makes sense on it.
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Read at Insurance Journal →
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SMALL BUSINESS
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Cyber Coverage Is Getting More Affordable, but Most Small Businesses Still Skip It
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| U.S. cyber-related losses reached nearly $21 billion in 2025, up from roughly $16 billion in 2024, and the Insurance Information Institute says small and midsize businesses are the ones falling furthest behind on protection. |
| More than 1 million cyber incidents were reported to the FBI in 2025, compared with 859,532 the year before. Global cyber insurance premiums have grown at about 5% annually since 2022, but rates have actually softened, meaning coverage is more available now than it was a few years ago. The III's CEO put it plainly: insurance alone is not enough, but without it, a small business has far fewer resources to recover when an attack happens. |
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Why it matters: If you own a small business and cyber coverage isn't part of your policy, reach out and we can look at what it would take to add it, because the cost of coverage has come down even as the cost of a breach has gone up.
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Read at Claims Journal →
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ON THE ROAD
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One in Four Rideshare Vehicles Has an Unfixed Recall
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| A CARFAX analysis of nearly 438,000 vehicle identification numbers across 16 U.S. cities found that more than one in four taxis and rideshare vehicles had at least one open, unfixed recall. |
| That rate is higher than the roughly one-in-five vehicles nationwide carrying an open recall. The numbers varied widely by city, from 38.6% in New York to 4% in Baltimore. Coverage questions after an accident involving a recalled vehicle can get complicated depending on the circumstances and how the vehicle was being used. |
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Why it matters: You can check any vehicle you own for open recalls at carfax.com/recall, and if you're ever in an accident as a passenger in a rideshare, knowing what coverage applies can depend on details worth sorting out before something goes wrong.
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Read the full story →
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Quick hits
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Around Boise
Steelheads Home Opener: Idaho Steelheads vs. Allen Americans
If you're looking for something to do this week, the Idaho Steelheads drop the puck on their home schedule Thursday and Friday, October 23 and 24, at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise. They're hosting the Allen Americans for two ECHL games, both starting at 7:10 PM. A couple nights of live hockey is a good reason to head downtown before the week is out.
Also coming up
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Tip of the week
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Check the age of your car against your deductible once a year
Pull up what your vehicle would sell for today, then compare that number to your collision deductible plus your annual collision premium. If the math is close, or the car is over seven years old and has accumulated some miles, it may be time to rethink whether you're carrying the right amount of physical damage coverage. This is a five-minute check, and it can either confirm the setup makes sense or save you money you didn't know you were leaving on the table.
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How was this issue?
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Until next week,
Dana, agency owner
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| P.S. If any of this week's stories touch something on your policy you'd like to talk through, just reply to this email or give us a call. |