Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Insurance Claims from Deadly California Wildfires Top $12B
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
May 8, 2019

Share

SACRAMENTO — Insurance claims have topped $12 billion for the November wildfires in California, making them the most expensive in state history.

The figure released Wednesday by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara covers the fire that largely destroyed the town of Paradise and two Southern California blazes. It’s up about $600 million from data released in January.

Most of the damages relate to the Paradise fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings.

“While last year’s tragic wildfires turned thousands of people’s lives upside down, insurance is helping to rebuild and recover,” Lara said in a news release during Wildfire Preparedness Week.

Insurance Becoming More Costly, Harder to Obtain

California experienced some of its deadliest and most destructive wildfires in its history in 2017 and 2018. A series of sweeping fires in late 2017 had been the most expensive, with claims topping $11.8 billion.

The increasing destruction is making it harder and more costly for people to obtain homeowners insurance.

The insurance department has started collecting data on policy non-renewals to better assess patterns and locations where coverage is being dropped, Lara said earlier this year.

“Wildfire has long been part of California’s landscape and insurers understand that California faces major wildfire risk,” said Nicole Mahrt-Ganley of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, which represents about 60 percent of the nation’s property casualty insurance market. “Insurers are still operating in this competitive and stable insurance market.”

State Offers Insurance of Last Resort

She said in her emailed statement that California homeowners should take steps to mitigate fire damage such as updating their coverage and creating defensible space around their homes.

When insurers decline to renew policies, state law requires them to notify customers about other options. The state has a pooled insurance plan of last resort known as the “FAIR plan.”

California lawmakers are grappling this year with ways to address the cost and destruction of wildfires.

Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., the state’s largest utility, filed for bankruptcy in January, saying it could not afford potentially tens of billions of dollars in liability costs related to fires.

State law makes utilities financially liable for damages from wildfires caused by their equipment, even if they aren’t found to be negligent.

DON'T MISS

House Speaker Johnson Fails to Squash a Proxy Voting Effort From New Moms in Congress

DON'T MISS

UN Agency Closes Its Remaining Gaza Bakeries as Food Supplies Dwindle Under Israeli Blockade

DON'T MISS

Hooters Goes Bust and Files for Bankruptcy Protection

DON'T MISS

Can CEMEX Dig a 600-Fit Hole and Not Harm the River? Arambula Says No and Writes a Bill

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Destiny Christine Brown

DON'T MISS

Three Missing Fresno Teens Found Safe After Nine Days

DON'T MISS

State Center Trustees Vote for Special Interest Giveaway Over Students: Opinion

DON'T MISS

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

DON'T MISS

Athletics Bat Boy Stewart Thalblum Takes Down Drone in Left Field

DON'T MISS

Prosecutors Directed to Seek Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

UP NEXT

UN Agency Closes Its Remaining Gaza Bakeries as Food Supplies Dwindle Under Israeli Blockade

UP NEXT

Hooters Goes Bust and Files for Bankruptcy Protection

UP NEXT

Can CEMEX Dig a 600-Fit Hole and Not Harm the River? Arambula Says No and Writes a Bill

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Destiny Christine Brown

UP NEXT

Three Missing Fresno Teens Found Safe After Nine Days

UP NEXT

State Center Trustees Vote for Special Interest Giveaway Over Students: Opinion

UP NEXT

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

UP NEXT

Athletics Bat Boy Stewart Thalblum Takes Down Drone in Left Field

UP NEXT

Prosecutors Directed to Seek Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

UP NEXT

NFL Postpones Tush Push Decision but Passes Other Rule Changes, AP Source Says

Can CEMEX Dig a 600-Fit Hole and Not Harm the River? Arambula Says No and Writes a Bill

47 minutes ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Destiny Christine Brown

2 hours ago

Three Missing Fresno Teens Found Safe After Nine Days

2 hours ago

State Center Trustees Vote for Special Interest Giveaway Over Students: Opinion

3 hours ago

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

3 hours ago

Athletics Bat Boy Stewart Thalblum Takes Down Drone in Left Field

3 hours ago

Prosecutors Directed to Seek Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

4 hours ago

NFL Postpones Tush Push Decision but Passes Other Rule Changes, AP Source Says

4 hours ago

March Madness: It’s South Carolina vs. Texas and UCLA vs. UConn in Women’s Final Four

4 hours ago

Kings County Authorities Recover Stolen Tractor. Suspect Faces Prop 36 Penalty

4 hours ago

House Speaker Johnson Fails to Squash a Proxy Voting Effort From New Moms in Congress

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson exercised his power of the gavel Tuesday in an unusually aggressive effort to squash a proposal for ...

4 minutes ago

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., takes questions on tariffs while meeting with reporters at a news conference, at the Capitol, in Washington, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
4 minutes ago

House Speaker Johnson Fails to Squash a Proxy Voting Effort From New Moms in Congress

Palestinians receive bags of flour and other humanitarian aid distributed by UNRWA, the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP/Jehad Alshrafi)
26 minutes ago

UN Agency Closes Its Remaining Gaza Bakeries as Food Supplies Dwindle Under Israeli Blockade

July 27, 2017, shows a Hooters sign at a restaurant in Hialeah, Fla. (AP File)
35 minutes ago

Hooters Goes Bust and Files for Bankruptcy Protection

47 minutes ago

Can CEMEX Dig a 600-Fit Hole and Not Harm the River? Arambula Says No and Writes a Bill

Destiny Christine Brown is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for April 1, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
2 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Destiny Christine Brown

Three Fresno teenagers reported missing on March 19, 2025, were found safe on Friday, March 28, 2025, after one called a parent to arrange their pickup. (Fresno PD)
2 hours ago

Three Missing Fresno Teens Found Safe After Nine Days

3 hours ago

State Center Trustees Vote for Special Interest Giveaway Over Students: Opinion

3 hours ago

Lakers Hold Off Rockets With 6 3-Pointers Apiece From Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend