The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state has reported that Senate Bill 5419 proposes to transfer the authority for collecting insurance-related fire loss data from the State Fire Marshal to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
The change follows consultation with the Washington State Patrol and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, both of which agreed the move would improve how fire loss information is managed and shared with relevant agencies.
The bill states that fire loss data is essential for public safety and law enforcement. If passed, the bill would amend RCW 48.05.320 and require insurers to report fire-related insurance claims directly to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state stated that Senate Bill 5419 would introduce new requirements for insurers.
Under the proposed legislation, insurers would be required to notify local authorities of known or suspected criminal activity associated with fire loss events.
The office added that certain details, such as property addresses, dates of loss, payout amounts and fire origins, would be exempt from public records access, unless tied to criminal investigations or charges.
The office also explained that this data could be shared with agencies such as the State Fire Marshal’s Office, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, law enforcement, Tribal Nations, prosecutors, insurance rating bureaus and fire chiefs, provided confidentiality is preserved.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state has introduced House Bill 1199 and Senate Bill 5331 to expand regulatory authority over insurance companies.
The office stated that the proposed bills would enable the commissioner to order restitution with 8% interest for consumers harmed by insurance law violations.
It also explained that the bills would allow the commissioner to impose fines on insurers for each infraction, aligning penalties with those used for other regulated sectors.
The office added that these changes are intended to strengthen consumer protection and regulatory enforcement in the state’s insurance industry.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state said that Senate Bill 5589 and House Bill 1748 would authorize a study into potential disparities in insurance underwriting.
According to the office, the legislation would examine whether current underwriting factors – such as credit scores and risk models – disproportionately impact people based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender or national origin.
The study would involve an industry-wide survey and data collection. The office stated that it may contract with actuarial and consulting firms to support the analysis.
The legislation requires the commissioner to submit a report of findings and recommendations to the state legislature.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state reported that it is seeking federal expenditure authority to use an unanticipated $1,013,000 grant during the 2023-25 biennium.
It explained that this funding would support two health insurance advisor roles and related administrative costs required by federal grant guidelines.
For the 2025-27 biennium, the office is also requesting ongoing funding for new staff positions to address rising complaint volumes in the insurance sector.
According to the office, these include a new Claims Review Team to handle property and casualty insurance complaints, and additional staff to support behavioral health parity compliance.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington state has proposed Senate Bill 5419.
The bill would transfer fire loss data reporting from the State Fire Marshal to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
It would require insurers to report fire-related claims and suspected criminal activity.
It would exempt certain fire loss data from public records access, unless used in criminal proceedings.
It would permit data sharing with specific agencies, provided confidentiality is maintained.
The office also introduced House Bill 1199 and Senate Bill 5331 to expand consumer protection enforcement.
These bills would authorize restitution with 8% interest and fines for insurers violating state insurance laws.
Senate Bill 5589 and House Bill 1748 would allow a study on whether underwriting practices result in discriminatory impacts.
The office may contract external consultants to support this study.
The office is requesting $1,013,000 in federal funds for the 2023-25 biennium.
It also seeks additional biennium funding to hire staff for claims review and parity enforcement.
