Why Wildfire Is Breaking Insurance (and How to Fix It) with Kitt Doucette, Co-Founder, W.I.S.H.

About this episode

Kitt Doucette discusses the unique challenges of wildfire risk in the insurance industry and proposes solutions for better management and pricing.

Episode 149 — InsurtechTalk | Kitt Doucette (Co-Founder, Wildfire Insurance Solution Hub)Wildfire risk is no longer just a catastrophe event—it’s a systemic failure in how insurance understands, prices, and communicates risk.In this episode, Kitt Doucette breaks down why wildfire conflagration is fundamentally different from traditional fire risk—and why the insurance industry must treat it as its own standalone peril.From his background as a professional skier and journalist embedded with wildfire response teams, to building a next-generation insurance platform, Kitt brings a unique perspective on risk, resilience, and prevention.What we cover:• Why wildfire “conflagration” is a distinct and misunderstood risk• The failure of the current reactive insurance model• How FAIR Plans are distorting the market• Why insurers rely on models—but use them the wrong way• The core challenge of pricing prevention vs. reacting to loss• How technology can quantify mitigation (before vs. after risk)• The role of communities, HOAs, and homeowners in risk reduction• Why insurers should act as both incentivizer and enforcer• The case for separating wildfire as a single, insurable peril• WISH…

People in this episode

Host: Gilad Shai

Guest: Kitt Doucette

Topics covered

• wildfire risk
• insurance pricing
• risk management
• technology in insurance
• community involvement
• prevention strategies

Keywords

• wildfire
• insurance
• risk
• prevention
• technology
• pricing
• community
• resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wildfire Insurance Solution Hub, W.I.S.H., insurance industry

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