Condo insurance in Wenatchee usually means two policies: your association’s master policy, paid through your dues, and your own unit-owner policy, often called an HO-6. Your HOA’s governing documents decide where the master policy stops. Your HO-6 is meant to cover what’s left, which typically includes your belongings, your liability, upgrades you made, and often your share of the master policy deductible.

What does my HOA’s master policy cover?

It depends on your community’s declaration and CC&Rs. The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) describes master policies as generally falling into one of these patterns:

• All-in. The master policy covers the exterior and interior finishes such as cabinets, flooring, fixtures and paint.
• All-in, excluding improvements or betterments. The master policy covers the unit to its original finishes. Upgrades, like granite in place of laminate, are on you.
• Bare walls (walls out). The master policy stops at the uncovered sheetrock and subfloor. All interior finishes are the owner’s responsibility.

Washington law requires condo associations to carry property insurance and liability insurance. For newer communities, RCW 64.90.470 requires property insurance on the common elements. For many older condos, RCW 64.34.352 requires property insurance on the condominium, which may or may not include improvements and betterments in your unit. Your declaration and bylaws decide the details.

What does an HO-6 policy cover?

Depending on the policy terms, an HO-6 commonly covers:

• Your personal belongings
• Interior finishes and improvements the master policy doesn’t cover
• Personal liability
• Additional living expenses if a covered loss makes your unit unlivable
• In some policies, loss assessment coverage for your share of a master policy deductible or special assessment

Coverage, limits and exclusions vary by carrier and policy. The OIC notes condo policies generally don’t cover flood or earth movement, which need separate coverage. Always check your own declarations page.

Who pays the master policy deductible?

Often you do, at least in part. The OIC notes that unit owners may be responsible for the master policy deductible on damage to their unit, and that an HO-6 often covers the unit’s damage up to that deductible while you still pay your own HO-6 deductible. Ask your HOA or property manager what the master deductible is and how the CC&Rs assign it.

What should I bring to a condo insurance review?

1. Your CC&Rs and bylaws
2. The association’s current certificate of insurance, which shows master limits and the deductible. For communities under RCW 64.90.470, the insurer must issue one to a unit owner on written request. Otherwise, ask your HOA or property manager.
3. A list of upgrades you or prior owners made
4. Your current HO-6 declarations page, if you have one

What’s specific to condos around Wenatchee?

Wenatchee has many condo communities, from large complexes to smaller duplex and fourplex buildings. James Cannon, our agency owner, explains that the association’s master policy usually covers walls out, and the owner’s HO-6 covers the interior of the unit, such as flooring, cabinets, fixtures and paint. It depends on your association’s master policy and bylaws, so read the declarations before you choose limits.

The building style alone does not tell you who covers what. Two fourplexes on the same street can have very different CC&Rs, so we start with your documents, not assumptions.

Related reading

• Washington home insurance
• Renters insurance, if you rent out your condo or are moving out of one
• Umbrella insurance

Talk it through with a local independent agent

Blue Horizon Insurance is an independent agency at 12 S Wenatchee Ave in Wenatchee. We are not an insurance company. We shop many insurance companies for you and explain the trade-offs in plain English. We have also been Ramsey Trusted / Dave Ramsey endorsed for 10+ years.

• Call us: 509-293-7500
• Text us (text only, not for calls): 509-300-3515
• Request a quote online:

https://www.bhifs.com/insurance-quotes.html

Does homeowners insurance cover wildfire smoke damage in Chelan County? In many cases, yes. Many standard homeowners policies treat smoke damage from a sudden fire, including a nearby wildfire, as a covered loss. But coverage depends on your policy terms: how your policy defines smoke damage, any exclusions, your deductible and your limits. Insurance companies also look closely at whether the damage is actual physical damage or a temporary smell or haze. Read your declarations and policy wording, and ask your agent before fire season.

Why does this matter in Chelan County?

Summers in Chelan County are hot and dry, and smoke from wildfires, near or far, can settle over Wenatchee, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Entiat and the Lake Chelan valley for days or weeks. Many local homeowners have seen ash on decks and patio furniture, smoky odors inside, and air filters that turn gray fast. Whether any of that becomes an insurance claim depends on what actually happened to your home.

What smoke damage may be covered?

Depending on your policy, covered smoke damage can include:

• Soot and residue on walls, ceilings, carpets and furnishings that needs professional cleaning
• Damage to HVAC systems that took in smoke or ash
• Personal property (clothing, upholstery, electronics) that needs cleaning or replacing
• Additional living expenses (loss of use) if a covered loss makes your home unlivable while it’s repaired. Some policies also pay these for a limited time, often up to two weeks, when a civil authority order bars access to your home because of a nearby covered fire. Check your policy’s limits and time frames.

Coverage and limits vary. Some policies require the smoke to come from a “sudden and accidental” fire. Some insurance companies treat lingering haze from distant fires differently from heavy smoke from a fire nearby.

What usually isn’t covered?

• A temporary smoky smell that airs out with no physical damage
• Gradual or long-term air-quality issues
• Smoke from a fireplace or wood stove used normally
• Anything specifically excluded in your policy

Ask your agent how your specific policy handles these. Wording differs between companies.

What should I do if wildfire smoke damages my home?

1. Stay safe first. Follow official evacuation orders and air-quality guidance.
2. Document everything. Take dated photos and video of soot, ash, residue and any damaged items before cleaning.
3. Limit further damage. Change HVAC filters and close windows. Keep receipts for reasonable steps you take.
4. Report it promptly. Call your insurance company or your agent. Many policies have time limits for reporting.
5. Keep receipts for hotels, meals and other extra costs if you had to leave home.
6. Ask before you throw things out. Your adjuster may need to see damaged items.

How can I check my coverage before fire season?

• Dwelling limit: does it reflect today’s cost to rebuild, not what you paid?
• Additional living expenses: how much and for how long?
• Personal property: is it replacement cost or actual cash value?
• Deductible: is there a separate wildfire or wind/hail deductible?
• Home inventory: keep photos or video of each room, stored somewhere other than your house.

If you’re not sure what your policy says, a local insurance agent can walk through it with you.

Can I still get homeowners insurance in a wildfire area?

Insurance companies look at wildfire exposure when deciding whether and how to insure a home. Defensible space, roof type and distance to brush can all matter. If you’ve had trouble finding coverage, an independent agency can check with several insurance companies for you.

Talk to a local agent

Blue Horizon Insurance is an independent agency at 12 S Wenatchee Ave in Wenatchee. We help Chelan County homeowners, and households across Washington and Idaho, review their coverage and compare options from several insurance companies.

https://www.bhifs.com/insurance-quotes.html

Or call 509-293-7500, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Coverage depends on your policy terms, exclusions and the insurance company. This article is general information, not a coverage determination or claim advice. For Washington consumer help with homeowners insurance and claims, see the Office of the Insurance Commissioner at insurance.wa.gov.

Related: Washington home insurance · Currently Insured Homeowners in Wenatchee? · Emergency Contact and Document Planning

Standard homeowners policies in Washington cover fire, including wildfire. Most also cover the smoke, soot, and heat that come with it. What varies is the fine print: dwelling limits, a separate wildfire deductible on some policies, loss-of-use limits for evacuations, and whether a particular company will offer or renew coverage on your property based on its wildfire risk score. Here’s what to check.

Does home insurance cover wildfire in Washington?

Generally, yes, for standard policies. The Washington OIC says all standard homeowners and property policies in Washington include fire protection on terms at least as good as the state model fire policy (WAC 284-20-010). Coverage still depends on your policy terms and limits.

What parts of my policy matter most in a wildfire?

The OIC points to:

• Dwelling (Coverage A): is the limit enough to rebuild at today’s costs? Tell your insurer about upgrades.
• Other structures (Coverage B): sheds, detached garages, fences, often limited to 10% of dwelling.
• Personal property (Coverage C): replacement cost vs. actual cash value; schedule high-value items.
• Loss of use (Coverage D): hotel and extra costs during repairs, and when a local evacuation order is in place.
• Your car: wildfire damage needs comprehensive coverage. Liability and collision don’t cover it.

Is there a separate wildfire deductible?

Sometimes. The OIC reports seeing separate, higher wildfire deductibles in some higher-risk areas. Check your declarations page before fire season.

Why might my insurer not renew my home near Wenatchee?

Insurers use third-party wildfire risk scores built from vegetation, building materials, location, and defensible space. The OIC reports that homeowner nonrenewals and cancellations have doubled since 2021, from 11,763 to 24,106, and that some were tied to wildfire risk scores (OIC, wildfire risk score transparency). Under RCW 48.18.2901, an insurer must give 60 days’ written notice of nonrenewal along with the reason. Standards vary by company, so you have the right to shop around. If no company will write your home, the OIC refers homeowners to the Washington FAIR Plan (425-745-9808), which provides basic property coverage for homes that have trouble finding a policy in the standard market.

Where around Wenatchee is wildfire making home insurance harder to place?

“Many areas that have been able to be insured in the past are harder to find an insurance policy for today,” says James Cannon, owner of Blue Horizon Insurance. Here’s what we see locally:

• It’s not only the foothills. Even in town, a home next to a dry hill, or one with trees close to the house, can draw a nonrenewal from some companies because of brush-fire mapping.
• Companies disagree. In the Briarwood community of East Wenatchee, for example, we’ve seen some companies non-renew policies while others are still writing homes there. One company’s wildfire map isn’t every company’s map.
• Up the Entiat, options can run out. In our experience, for some homes up the Entiat Valley, the Washington FAIR Plan may be the only option available right now.

What does Blue Horizon do when a client’s home is non-renewed for wildfire risk?

In James’s words: “We contact them immediately. We run updated quotes with all of our companies, doing the shopping for them. We shop our insurance carriers to find the best policy for you. If there isn’t one, we offer to work with them on the Washington State FAIR Plan.”

As an independent agency, we can check more than one company. One company tightening up in your area doesn’t always mean the others are in the same spot, and some may still be able to write your home, depending on their underwriting. If none can, we help you apply to the FAIR Plan rather than leave you to figure it out alone.

Do any insurance companies help protect homes during a wildfire?

Some do. Liberty Mutual, for example, offers eligible Washington homeowner and landlord policyholders a free Wildfire Response Program run by a contracted wildfire mitigation company, Chloeta. When an active wildfire threatens a covered home and fire officials allow safe access, the crew may clear gutters and nearby vegetation, set up temporary sprinklers, or apply fire-blocking gel or foam. They don’t enter the house, and the vendor decides which properties get service, so it’s an extra layer of help, not a guarantee. Program details and eligibility can change; see Liberty Mutual’s program page or ask us whether it applies to your home.

What can I do to lower wildfire risk around my home?

The OIC and DNR recommend defensible space: clear needles and leaves from roofs, gutters, and decks, and keep branches and shrubs at least 10 feet from the house. DNR also publishes an Eastern Washington fire-resistant plant guide and supports Firewise USA neighborhood sites. Mitigation work may be worth mentioning to your insurer. Whether it changes your price or eligibility depends on the company.

FAQ

Will my policy pay if I evacuate but my house doesn’t burn?

Loss-of-use coverage can apply when a local evacuation order is in place, per the OIC. Limits and conditions depend on your policy.

What if I get a nonrenewal notice?

Under Washington law, you should get 60 days’ written notice and a reason. Use that time to have other companies quote your home.

Got a nonrenewal notice or wondering if your limits are high enough? We can compare home coverage from multiple companies:

https://www.bhifs.com/insurance-quotes.html

Call 509-293-7500 (Mon–Fri, 9–5) · Text 509-300-3515

Related: Home insurance · Auto insurance (comprehensive) · Currently insured homeowners in Wenatchee