Short answer: usually yes, and most people never claim for them.
Window coverings sit in an odd spot. They are attached to the house, so people assume they are the insurer's problem to raise. They are also furnishings, so people lump them in with décor and forget them. Between those two assumptions, a lot of Spokane households are going to finish their claim without ever putting blinds and shades on the list.
This is a plain walkthrough of how it works. We sell window coverings, so read it with that in mind, but the advice below holds whether you buy from us or from anyone else.
Standard homeowners policies in Washington cover fire and they cover smoke. You do not need flames to have a claim. A house three streets from the fire line that filled with smoke has suffered covered damage, and the contents of that house are part of it.
That matters here because a lot of Spokane households whose homes are still standing assume they have nothing to claim for. Smoke alone is enough.
Two buckets, and window coverings can land in either depending on how they are mounted and how your policy is written.
Dwelling coverage covers the structure and things permanently attached to it. Hard mounted shutters and, under many policies, blinds and shades fixed to the window frame get treated as part of the building.
Contents or personal property coverage covers what is inside. Curtains, drapes, and free hanging soft goods usually land here.
You do not need to work out which one applies before you claim. List the items, describe how they are mounted, and let the adjuster assign them. Getting this wrong is not a reason to leave them off the list.
This is the single line in your policy worth finding.
Replacement cost pays what it takes to buy the equivalent today.
Actual cash value pays what your ten year old shades were worth after ten years of depreciation, which is not much.
Both are common. If you have replacement cost coverage, an itemized quote for new coverings is what unlocks the full amount, and it is worth the effort of getting one.
Adjusters are not trying to catch you out, but they cannot pay for what is not documented. Give them:
The mistake we see most: cleaning first. Once a covering has been wiped down, the evidence is gone and the claim is much harder. Photograph, then wait for the adjuster.
Washington's Office of the Insurance Commissioner has put real resources into Spokane since the fires.
If the last few weeks have been financially rough, call the hotline before letting a payment lapse. They can tell you exactly which protections apply to your policy right now.
United Policyholders, a nonprofit that helps people through disaster claims, also maintains a page specifically for the 2026 Spokane fires.
Quoting for insurance claims is part of our normal work. After a fire, customers working with a contractor on the repairs have us come out, and we put together a quote matched to the window coverings they had before. You can submit that quote with your insurance claim.
The in-home consultation is free and there is no obligation. Some people also take the chance to upgrade, and pay the difference out of pocket. If you would rather we came out and told you which coverings actually need replacing before you claim for anything, that is the free smoke assessment, same deal.
Book a free in-home consultation
Usually yes. Smoke is a covered peril under standard homeowners policies, so window coverings damaged by smoke are generally claimable even if the house never caught fire. They may fall under dwelling or contents coverage depending on how they are mounted.
No. Smoke is covered on its own. If your home is still standing but took on smoke, the damage to contents and finishes is claimable in its own right.
Photos taken before any cleaning, a room by room inventory of what was on each window, and an itemized replacement estimate with each window priced separately. Lump sum estimates get questioned more often than line items.
No. Cleaning removes the evidence the claim depends on. Photograph everything first and wait until your adjuster has inspected or given you written approval to proceed.
Washington's Office of the Insurance Commissioner runs a free consumer hotline at 800-562-6900 and holds claim workshops in Spokane. After the August 2026 fires the office also issued emergency protections for affected policyholders, including a premium grace period. Check insurance.wa.gov for what is currently in effect.
