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PMJA - Enterprise Reporting

Dave and Sandy Nabbefeld in front of their retirement in Idaho’s Garden Valley, near the small town of Crouch. They’ve had their insurance canceled twice, and worry it could still happen again. “It’s scary because we don’t know what’s going to happen this fall,” Dave said. “And it's coming up, it's going to be here before we know it.”
Murphy Woodhouse
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Boise State Public Radio
Dave and Sandy Nabbefeld in front of their retirement in Idaho’s Garden Valley, near the small town of Crouch. They’ve had their insurance canceled twice, and worry it could still happen again. “It’s scary because we don’t know what’s going to happen this fall,” Dave said. “And it's coming up, it's going to be here before we know it.”

The West's Insurance Crisis

Over the course of 2025, the Mountain West News Bureau did a deep dive on the serious and growing homeowners insurance crisis impacting communities across the region. Premiums are soaring, policyholders are losing coverage with little explanation and real estate markets are being threatened. Reporters Murphy Woodhouse and Rachel Cohen spoke with numerous experts, policymakers, advocates and regular people across the West worried about what this all means for the roofs over their heads.

FOR JUDGES: The playable audio above includes the radio versions of three features, along with a debrief. Below you will find links to the three features, as well as to a dedicated insurance reporting page with interactive maps and other resources for impacted listeners across the West.

ENTRY ELEMENTS

A home insurance crisis is building in the Mountain West. State leaders are struggling to respond, 5/20/25

Scientists chase storms through the Mountain West to study hail’s growing toll, 8/4/25

As evidence of Idaho homeowners insurance crisis mounts, so does bipartisan concern, 12/29/25

Mountain West News Bureau Homeowners Insurance Resources

As Boise State Public Radio's Mountain West News Bureau reporter, I try to leverage my past experience as a wildland firefighter to provide listeners with informed coverage of a number of key issues in wildland fire. I’m especially interested in efforts to improve the famously challenging and dangerous working conditions on the fireline.
I cover environmental issues, outdoor recreation and local news for Boise State Public Radio. Beyond reporting, I contribute to the station’s digital strategy efforts and enjoy thinking about how our work can best reach and serve our audience. The best part of my job is that I get to learn something new almost every day.

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