losses News

A.M. Best Says Insurers Challenged by ‘New Normal’ of California Wildfires

While the number of burned acres in 2019 is still well below the number reported last year through October, experts predict the greatest fire potential will occur from now through December as the Santa Ana winds pick up, A.M. Best …

California Wildfire Damage at $25.4B and Rising

Damages from the fires ripping across California stand at $25.4 billion, and they’re bound to keep rising. The Kincade fire has cost $10.6 billion, while the tally in Southern California is $14.8 billion mainly from the Tick, Getty and Saddle …

California Braces for Biggest Blackout Yet as Massive Wildfire Burns

As wildfires rage and utilities race to restore power, the worst may be yet to come for California residents. PG&E Corp. has restored power to about 165,000 customers in portions of 18 counties, or about 93% of those affected, the …

500K-Plus Californians Lose Power; Large Wildfire Rages

More than half a million people have lost power across California as part of a deliberate blackout designed to keep power lines from igniting wildfires. Meanwhile, a major blaze has already erupted. PG&E Corp. and other utilities have cut service …

California Wildfire Victims in PG&E Bankruptcy See $13.5B in Claims

A lawyer for the committee representing wildfire victims in the bankruptcy of PG&E Corp said at a hearing on Monday that the committee sees $13.5 billion as the cost to the power provider for paying claims of the victims. Cecily …

Retrial for Founder in California Warehouse Fire That Killed 36

The founder of an artists’ work-live collective in the San Francisco Bay Area where a fast-moving fire trapped and killed 36 partygoers three years ago will be tried again on manslaughter charges, prosecutors said Friday. Alameda County prosecutors said they …

Supreme Court Rejects Sempra’s Bid to Recover $379M from 2007 California Wildfire Payouts

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a bid by Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas & Electric Co to recover $379 million from customers related to damages it was forced to pay out in litigation after the deadly …

22 New California Laws Take Aim at Wildfire Danger

California is adopting nearly two dozen laws aimed at preventing and fighting the devastating wildfires that have charred large swaths of the state in recent years and killed scores of people. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed the 22 …

May Tornadoes Losses Among Highest Insured Losses in Ohio History

Insured losses from Memorial Day tornadoes that ravaged parts of Ohio will be among the largest in the state’s history. The Columbus Dispatch reports Ohio Insurance Institute data puts the total insured losses from the storms between $465 million and …

Elk Damage to Washington Farms Estimated at $1.4M

The growing elk population in the Skagit County, Wash. is costing farmers $1.4 million a year, according to a new estimate. That figure is slightly down from the $1.5 million estimate released in January, the Skagit Valley Herald reported Saturday. …