With wildfire season in full swing, Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer is hosting an insurance town hall in Spokane on Aug. 5 to answer questions about homeowner insurance and the OIC’s wildfire mitigation work.

Insurance can be confusing, but it plays a crucial role in protecting you, your finances, and your community. That’s why Commissioner Patty Kuderer launched the Community Connect initiative in 2025. It’s a push to reach you where you live to share insurance education, hear your insurance concerns and questions, and talk about services available to you if you’re getting the runaround from your insurance company.

Community Connect events are also an opportunity for local officials, state legislators, Tribal leaders, health care providers, nonprofits, and other civic leaders to connect directly with the commissioner and our staff to learn new ways we can work together.

In the past, we’ve held events to help people navigate Medicare Open Enrollment, understand insurer rate increases, and share how they’ve been affected by nonrenewals and cancellations of their homeowners insurance. Not all events will have the same focus or structures, but what’s consistent is our commitment to outreach and education as a core part of our consumer protection mission.

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer’s Aug. 5 insurance town hall will shift to an informational session about the insurance claims process in light of the Spokane Complex Fires.

Kuderer, state Sen. Marcus Riccelli, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, and Spokane City Councilmember Kate Telis will host the event. The time and date — Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. — are the same, but the location has been moved to Spokane City Hall. The event will also be livestreamed on Spokane CityCable5.

The discussion will include information on what fire survivors need to know about filing a claim, their insurance rights, and what help the Office of the Insurance Commissioner can offer.