Property and casualty insurers have paid more than $2.3 billion for 10,033 claims filed for losses caused by last year’s Maui wildfires, according to data collected by the Hawaii Insurance Division. 

What You Need To Know

  • Data was reported to the Insurance Division based on an aggregate of insurance policies for the affected lines of insurance and is not reported based on individual properties
  • The bulk of losses paid came from residential property claims. In total, 5,239 such claims were reported, including 1,702 for total loss
  • Some 1,160 commercial property claims were reported (229 for total loss), representing almost $1.2 billion. Insurers paid $702 million for those claims
  • By type, homeowners' insurance fielded the most residential property claims (2,816) and covered the most losses ($1 billion)

The claims represent nearly $3.3 billion dollars in estimated total losses related to the wildfires and wind damage on Aug. 8, 2023. The data, drawn from more than 200 insurers operating in the area, is current as of June 30.

“Behind every claim is a person, a family member, a homeowner, or a business owner,” said insurance commissioner Gordon Ito. “The loss we suffered as a state is unimaginable, but the Hawaii Insurance Division has been and will continue to support the people of Maui as they begin rebuilding.”

Data is reported to the Insurance Division based on an aggregate of insurance policies for the affected lines of insurance and is not reported based on individual properties. As the division notes, such data is used for determining the total number of claims and insured losses, monitoring the solvency of domestic insurers to ensure they are financially sound to make claim payments to their insureds, and improving the overall experience of policyholders directly affected by a disaster.

The bulk of losses paid came from residential property claims. In total, 5,239 such claims were reported, including 1,702 for total loss. The claims represented an estimated $1.6 billion in total losses, of which insurers paid more than $1.3 billion.

Some 1,160 commercial property claims were reported (229 for total loss), representing almost $1.2 billion. Insurers paid $702 million for those claims.

Insurers also paid $30.9 million for 2,610 personal auto claims and $3.3 million for 146 commercial auto claims.

Another $164 million was paid to cover 562 claims for other property losses.

By type, homeowners’ insurance fielded the most residential property claims (2,816) and covered the most losses ($1 billion). Dwelling-fire landlord insurance was second in losses paid (700 claims for $245.7 million) followed by condominium unit owner (1,331/$60.6 million); renter’s insurance (385/$9.6 million); and other residential property (7/$759,000).

With the release of the latest data set, the Insurance Division is renewing its call for the public to be cautious of potential scams from unlicensed contractors. The division reminds residents that licensed contractors are required for any project exceeding $1,500 in labor and material and/or for any project requiring a permit. More information is available at licensedcontractor.hawaii.gov.

A contractor’s license status can be verified via the state’s BusinessCheck service, an online platform was designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for researching licensed professionals. It allows users to certify licenses, review complaint histories and verify when a business was established. 

The division further advises residents considering outside assistance in navigating the insurance process to make sure the service is legitimate and to understand what the costs may be.

Potential claimants can find insurance resources and more information on proceeding through the insurance claims process at cca.hawaii.gov/fireclaims. 

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.