Colorado insurance regulator seeks ALE extensions for Marshall Fire region
Many policyholders would find even a short ALE extension meaningful, the state insurance commissioner said.
The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) requested that home insurance companies provide an extension of additional living expense (ALE) benefits for policyholders in the Marshall Fire region, who are still managing through the aftermath of the wildfire.
ALE provides payment for “extra expenses made necessary by the insured’s inability to reside in the insured dwelling because of a covered loss,” according to the FC&S Insurance Dictionary, which gave restaurant and hotel bills as examples. The amount payable is the difference between normal household expenses and the increase.
According to DOI, many of the people impacted by the Marshall Fire are still rebuilding their homes and will likely not be finished by the time ALE benefits expire next month, which will mark the two-year anniversary of the wildfire.
Insurance companies are not obligated to grant the ALE extension. However, Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway noted in a letter to insurers that granting extensions would embody the spirit of legislation regarding wildfire recovery that passed last year as well as help the community rebuild quicker.
Conway wrote that many policyholders would find even a short ALE extension meaningful.
“The resilience of our communities post-disaster hinges on numerous collaborative efforts. As we seek an extension of ALE, we also urge all stakeholders involved in the recovery and rebuilding phases to take every measure to expedite the restoration of the affected communities,” Conway wrote.
The Marshall Fire caused more than $2 billion in damages, according to local media reports, and more than 1,000 properties were destroyed in the blaze. The wildfire also revealed Colorado’s chronic underinsurance problem.
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