Latest Wildfire Headlines

All the headlines from our Wildfire Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Calif. Commissioner Allows Insurers to Expand Use of Adjusters for Wildfire Claims

Nov 6 2003 // Calif. Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi released the following statement declaring an Emergency Situation in Southern California due to the wildfires: “Due to the unprecedented destruction caused by Southern...

Southern California Wildfires Ravage Hundreds of Homes, Property

Nov 3 2003 // Hundreds of homes in Southern California blazed recently as firefighters worked round the clock to contain the out- of-control wildfires that plagued parts of San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties....

Calif. Commissioner Creates Task Force to Protect Wildfire Victims

Oct 31 2003 // Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi launched two major efforts by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) to protect and aid victims of the Southern California wildfires. Noting that insurance fraud soars after...

Insurance to Cover Most Damage from Calif. Wildfires; ACIC Offering Claims Filing Tips

Oct 29 2003 // Most of the damage from the rash of wildfires ravaging Southern California will be covered under property owners’ homeowners and fire insurance policies, according to the Association of California Insurance Companies...

NAII: Wildfire Damage Estimated at $500 Million

Oct 28 2003 // Most of the damage from the rash of wildfires ravaging Southern California will be covered under property owners’ homeowners and fire insurance policies, according to the National Associaiton of Independent Insurers...

Half of California Homes Face Wildfire Dangers

Oct 23 2003 // More than half of California’s 12.5 million homes face wildfire dangers that pose a financial loss potential well in excess of $106 billion, according to state fire statistics and insurance industry analysis. These...

CDS Business Mapping Expands Wildfire Coverage to Ariz., Colo., Wash.

Aug 11 2003 // CDS Business Mapping, a provider in online hazard mapping, announced the launch of its Wildfire Hazard Model for Arizona, Colorado, and Washington. The Wildfire Hazard Model consists of highly detailed maps that identify...

SAFECO Reports Continued Earnings With 3rdQ Net Income Increase

Oct 29 2002 // SAFECO reported continued earnings growth as third-quarter net income increased to $75.2 million, or $0.59 per diluted share. Income before charges and realized gains increased to $86.4 million, or $0.68 per diluted...

CDS Makes Wildfire Hazard Model Available for Calif.

Aug 19 2002 // CDS Business Mapping, a source for online hazard mapping, has launched its Wildfire Hazard Model for California. The new service allows property insurers to perform brushfire lookups quickly and accurately, saving time and...

Insurers looking at $120M Price Tag for Insured-Property Losses from Ariz. Wildfire

Jul 19 2002 // Insurers are expected to pay an estimated $120 million to home owners and businesses for insured-property losses from the Rodeo-Chediski Complex wildfire in Arizona, according to preliminary projections by the Insurance...

Colo. Bill Would Prohibit Insurers From Refusing to Issue Fire Policy in Disaster Area

Jul 12 2002 // The Colorado House gave initial approval July 10 to a Senate bill that would prohibit insurers from refusing to issue a fire insurance policy within a federally designated disaster area due to wildfire. The prohibition...

Ariz. Director of Ins. Visits Claims Facilities in Wildfire Area

Jul 9 2002 // Arizona’s director of insurance, Charles Cohen, recently visited Show Low, Ariz. to inspect the on-site catastrophe claims facilities of the four largest homeowner and auto insurers in Arizona: State Farm, Farmers,...

Insurers Reveal Damage Estimates from Colo. Wildfires

Jul 4 2002 // Damage from three wildfires that recently ravaged Colorado could cost insurers a record setting $50 million, according to the Associated Press. Preliminary estimates revealed that State Farm anticipates a payout of $24.7...

Colo. Wildfires Won’t Increase Homeowners Rates

Jun 18 2002 // Despite the severity of the Colorado wildfires that have blazed through the state in recent weeks, the good news is that insurance companies insist homeowners rates won’t rise due to the immense amount of claims...

RiskMeter Forms Alliance with Eqecat to Provide EQ, Wildfire Risk Info

Oct 3 2001 // RiskMeter (http://www.riskmeter.com/), an online source for insurance professionals for automated property lookups, announced an alliance with EQECAT Inc. (http://www.eqecat.com) to provide earthquake and wildfire...

It’s Fire Season: Time to Brush Up on Coverage and Prevention

Aug 27 2001 // Take an influx of homeowners moving into what was once open land, add a rainy winter which has fueled the growth of brush and vegetation, and you have a potential recipe for disaster. As of Aug. 15, close to 300 wildfires...

WILDFIRES WON’T QUIT

Sep 4 2000 // Nearly 65,000 wildfires have burned more than 4.3 million acres this year, causing an estimated $100 million in insured property damage, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). Currently, 82 wildfires...

An Estimated $100 Million in Insured Losses Ignited by Wildfires

Aug 15 2000 // Nearly 65,000 wildfires have burned more than 4.3 million acres this year, causing an estimated $100 million in insured property damage, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). Currently, 82 wildfires...

Montana State Auditor Orders Insurers to Drop Wildfire-Related Moratoriums

Aug 4 2000 // State Auditor Mark O’Keefe told all property and casualty insurance companies doing business in Montana to lift all blanket wildfire-related moratoriums on new or increased levels of property insurance, or face...

Western States Blazing Away in Summer Wildfires

Aug 3 2000 // Thirty-five major wildfires are blazing across the Western states in the dry months of late summer, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. The fires are currently being tackled by 20,000...