losses News

Alaska Charter Company Paying $900K for Wildfire From Campfire

An Alaska fishing guide company has paid $900,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. government alleging one of its guides started a wildfire in 2019, the U.S. attorney’s office for Alaska said in a statement. Court documents said …

Avian Flu Is Devastating Farms in California’s ‘Egg Basket’

Last month, Mike Weber got the news every poultry farmer fears: His chickens tested positive for avian flu. Following government rules, Weber’s company, Sunrise Farms, had to slaughter its entire flock of egg-laying hens — 550,000 birds — to prevent …

California to Get Drenched From Fast-Moving Atmospheric River

A fast-moving atmospheric river coming off the Pacific Ocean will drench northern and central California on Wednesday and then head for the the southern half of the state. Northwest California will likely get the worst of the storm, with as …

Startup AiDash Raises $50M for Tech Using AI, Satellites to Spot Wildfire Risk

A California startup using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellites to spot fire and weather risks on power lines, AiDash, reported it had raised $50 million in new funding, reflecting Silicon Valley efforts to create products that help energy companies adapt …

The Hartford to Discontinue Writing New Homeowners Policies in California

The Hartford confirmed this week it will discontinue writing new homeowners policies in California. The carrier reportedly has less than 1% of the state’s homeowners market. The Hartford issued the following statement following a request for comment for this article: …

Power Line Falls on Car During Oregon Ice Storm, Killing 3

A power line fell on a parked car in northeast Portland, Oregon, killing three people and injuring a baby during an ice storm that turned roads and mountain highways treacherous in the Pacific Northwest. Shortly before noon on Wednesday, dispatchers …

Wildfire Prevention, Helping Maui Recover Top Agenda for Hawaii Lawmakers

Hawaii lawmakers convened this week for the first time since the burning of historic Lahaina awakened the state to the deadly and costly threat posed by wildfires in an age of climate change. The tragedy refocused the attention of lawmakers. …

Two California Cities Among Most Likely to Experience Flood Damage

Two California cities made the list of cities most likely to experience flood damage in a new study. Stockton and Sacramento were among the most likely to experience flood damage based on data from the 200 largest cities in the …

Maui Needs Tourists. Can They Visit Without Compounding Wildfire Trauma?

The restaurant where Katie Austin was a server burned in the wildfire that devastated Hawaii`s historic town of Lahaina this summer. Two months later, as travelers began to trickle back to nearby beach resorts, she went to work at a …

Top West Insurance Journal Stories of 2023

Insurers pulling back from an increasingly risky California market grabbed the attention of Insurance Journal readers this year. This was the subject of the top four most popular stories in Insurance Journal’s West region in 2023. Eight articles on this …