By ROBERT SIDES
The Ramspondents
Colorado is already an expensive state to live in, and home insurance makes up a large portion of the cost. The risk of wildfire is driving up insurance even more.
A recent report from CSU’s Regional Economic Development Institute ranked Colorado’s home insurance rates as being the sixth-highest in the nation. Insurance premiums rose by 58% between 2018 and 2023, largely due to wildfire risk.
Caroline Conley Norris, the report’s author, aimed to determine how natural hazards affect insurance rates in high-risk areas.
“I'm interested in the ways that … climate-related hazard events can destabilize risk-sharing mechanisms such as insurance and cause impacts to household financial outcomes,” Norris said. “In Colorado, where there've been a lot of wildfires in recent years. I wanted to see what disruptions in the homeowners insurance market could be seen in the data and explore the distribution of those impacts across different community characteristics.”
The study revealed that over 321,000 Colorado homes are at risk of wildfire, many of whom have adequate insurance. After the 2021 Marshall fire, 74% of affected homeowners were underinsured. Rising insurance costs mean homeowners are choosing cheaper plans with lower coverage, exacerbating under-insurance.
Norris expected to see higher non-renewal rates along the Front Range and on the Western Slope, where the risk of wildfires is greatest. However, the report found that the highest non-renewal rates were found in the eastern plains.
“I expected to see higher non-renewal rates in wildfire-prone areas … but I saw that on the Front Range where there's a lot of wildfires and also in a lot of affluent areas, there are really high and fast increases in premiums,” she said.
“But it seems like insurers are still operating there and then it was sort of more in the eastern part of the state; more rural areas where there's higher non-renewal rates or in higher percent changes in non-renewal rates. I didn't think of those areas as facing a lot of wildfires. They face a lot of other hazards though, like hail and winter weather and other things that can damage roofs and properties.”
Among rising insurance costs, there are still ways to insure homes and businesses. Thirty-three states have Fair Access to Insurance Requirement plans, which are state insurance plans that cover homes businesses that cannot acquire private insurance. 2025 is Colorado’s first year with the FAIR program.
“Going forward, people can do more empirical work to understand the drivers of this insurer behavior,” Norris said. “As these FAIR plans are rolled out and households are taking up these policies, there are still under-insurance or insurance coverage gaps in the state because that has implications for how quickly communities can recover after hazard events. If there's a lot of uninsured losses, there will likely be a longer and harder recovery.”
With the risk of wildfire and other natural disasters driving up home insurance, Norris’s conclusion for Colorado homeowners is to review your insurance policy and see what options you have for insuring your home or business.
“You can do research to see if there's options for you to reduce the risk of your property and get better rates or maintain for retained coverage,” Norris said. “As you're shopping for a house or thinking about insurance for your house, be careful: read the policy. Make sure you have options and understand that this is a market that's changing.”
Robert Sides is a second-year student at Colorado State University and a reporter for Rocky Mountain Student Media. He is also the treasurer of CSU’s student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
City boards and commissions to hold open house
By ROBERT SIDES
The Ramspondents
On Monday, Nov. 17, the city will host an open house with the 22 boards and commissions that work with Fort Collin’s city council. These boards are largely made up of utility services, such as water, energy and waste management.
The public is invited to attend with the event beginning at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave. The city’s boards and commissions will be present to speak about their work with attendees.
The primary focus of the city’s boards and commissions is to advise city council in decision-making regarding their respective sectors. Boards study information and advise city council, while commissions have more direct power in helping city council’s decision-making. Both boards and commissions are made up of volunteers from Fort Collins citizens.
“Boards and commissions are an incredible way for residents to shape their community and impact their local government,” Public Engagement Specialist Davina Lau said in the city’s press release. “They form an important bridge between council and the community.”
Boards and commissions will give information regarding volunteer opportunities at the open house. Many boards and commissions have openings in 2026 with applications opening on Dec. 1. Community members may apply for up to three positions but may only be appointed to one.
More information regarding Fort Collins’ boards and commissions may be found on the City of Fort Collins’ website.
Robert Sides is a second-year student at Colorado State University and a reporter for Rocky Mountain Student Media. He is also the treasurer of CSU’s student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.