If you're buying a home in Camas, you're getting more than just a house—you're joining a historic paper mill town with walkable streets, a thriving downtown, and spectacular access to the Columbia River Gorge. But here's what your real estate agent might not mention: protecting that investment requires understanding some unique insurance considerations that come with living in the Pacific Northwest.
The good news? You're in one of the more affordable areas for home insurance. Camas homeowners typically pay between $516 and $700 annually for coverage—well below Washington's state average of $1,474 and far less than the national average of $2,801. But with property values climbing and extreme weather events becoming more common, understanding your coverage options isn't just smart—it's essential.
What Makes Camas Different from Other Washington Cities
Camas sits in Clark County, just 15 minutes from the Portland airport and right at the western entrance to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. This location shapes everything about your insurance needs. The city's 140-year-old paper mill heritage means a mix of historic buildings and modern developments, while its proximity to Portland has driven property values steadily upward.
As of 2025, median home values in Camas range from $717,000 to $861,000 depending on the source and timing—that's a significant investment to protect. The market remains competitive, with homes selling in about 27 days on average and receiving multiple offers. If you bought your home even three years ago, there's a good chance its value has increased substantially, which means your insurance coverage might not keep pace unless you're actively reviewing it.
One bright spot: Camas has excellent fire protection ratings. The city's fire and EMS services maintain ratings that can qualify you for homeowners insurance discounts. When you're getting quotes, specifically ask about fire protection class discounts—many homeowners don't realize they're eligible and leave money on the table.
The Weather Risks Your Standard Policy Might Not Cover
Pacific Northwest weather is beautiful until it isn't. December 2025 reminded everyone of this reality when an atmospheric river dumped close to two feet of rain in parts of the Cascade Mountains, causing catastrophic flooding across Washington. The Skagit and Snohomish Rivers hit record levels, prompting more than 600 rescues across 10 counties and evacuation orders for an estimated 100,000 people. While Camas wasn't among the hardest-hit areas, the event highlighted a critical gap in most homeowners policies: flood damage isn't covered.
Here's what that means for you: if water enters your home from the ground up—whether from river flooding, storm surge, or heavy rainfall—your standard homeowners policy won't pay a dime. You need separate flood insurance, typically purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program or private insurers. Even if you're not in a designated flood zone, it's worth considering. The events of December 2025 showed that "100-year floods" can happen more frequently than the name suggests, and climate change is making extreme weather more intense and more common.
The same goes for earthquakes. Washington sits on active fault lines, and the Cascadia Subduction Zone poses a major seismic risk to the entire Pacific Northwest. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage entirely. You'll need to either purchase a separate earthquake policy or add an earthquake endorsement to your existing coverage. It's not required by law or even by most lenders, but given the potential for a major seismic event, it's a gap worth closing if you can afford the additional premium.
How Rising Insurance Costs Are Hitting Washington Homeowners
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: insurance costs are going up everywhere, and Washington is no exception. In 2025, home insurance rates in Washington jumped 19.5%—the third-largest increase in the entire country. Over the past six years, Washington homeowners have faced a cumulative 51% rise in premiums. That's not a typo. Your policy that cost $1,000 in 2019 might be costing you $1,510 today, even if you haven't filed a single claim.
Why the surge? Insurance companies point to several factors: increased construction costs making repairs more expensive, more frequent severe weather events, rising reinsurance costs, and inflation affecting everything from lumber to labor. The December 2025 flooding event alone will likely result in hundreds of millions in claims, which eventually filters through to everyone's premiums.
This makes shopping around more important than ever. According to consumer data, Camas homeowners can save as much as $243 annually by comparing quotes from multiple insurers. Companies like Nationwide, PEMCO, and others compete for your business, and their pricing can vary dramatically for the exact same coverage. Don't just renew automatically when your policy comes up—get at least three quotes and compare not just the price, but what you're actually getting for that price.
Coverage Limits and Replacement Cost: Don't Leave Yourself Short
Here's a scenario that plays out more often than you'd think: A family buys a home in Camas for $600,000 in 2020. They get a homeowners policy with a dwelling coverage limit of $600,000, matching the purchase price. Fast forward to 2025, and that same home is worth $750,000. A fire destroys the house completely. The insurance company pays out $600,000—the policy limit—but rebuilding that home at 2025 construction costs actually requires $800,000. The family is short $200,000.
This is why understanding replacement cost versus market value is critical. Your home's market value includes the land, but insurance only covers the structure itself. And with construction costs rising faster than home values in many cases, you need to ensure your dwelling coverage reflects what it would actually cost to rebuild your home from the ground up, not what you paid for it or what it would sell for today.
Many policies now include extended replacement cost coverage or guaranteed replacement cost coverage, which can pay above your dwelling limit if construction costs exceed expectations. These endorsements cost extra, but they're worth considering given how volatile construction costs have been. At minimum, review your dwelling coverage annually—especially if you've done major renovations or added square footage.
How to Get Started with Home Insurance in Camas
If you're buying a home in Camas, your lender will require proof of insurance before closing. Start shopping for quotes at least two to three weeks before your closing date to give yourself time to compare options without feeling rushed. If you already own a home here, set a calendar reminder to shop your policy every year or two—loyalty doesn't pay in insurance, and companies often raise rates on existing customers while offering better deals to new ones.
When getting quotes, be prepared to provide details about your home: age, square footage, roof condition, heating system, electrical panel, and any recent upgrades. Also ask about discounts. Beyond the fire protection class discount, you might qualify for savings based on security systems, bundling with auto insurance, being claims-free for several years, or having a newer roof or updated systems.
Don't just focus on the premium. Look at your deductible—the amount you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in. A higher deductible lowers your premium but means more upfront cost if you file a claim. Find the balance that makes sense for your financial situation. And if you're having trouble finding affordable coverage in the standard market, Washington offers a FAIR Plan as a last resort option, though it provides only basic fire coverage and is typically more expensive than standard policies.
Protecting your Camas home doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require understanding the specific risks that come with living in the Pacific Northwest. Take the time to review your coverage, consider those often-overlooked gaps like flood and earthquake insurance, and shop around to make sure you're getting the best value. Your home is likely your biggest asset—make sure your insurance actually has your back when you need it most.
