The insurance industry is setting homes on fire — just to make a point.
The fires are controlled, kindled in a research lab or staged at training facilities used by fire departments.
Across the United States, insurers lost $33 billion in 2023 on personal home and auto insurance, according to AM Best, a ratings agency for the industry.
In California, where fires have consumed more than roughly 220,000 acres of land in just this year, major insurers like State Farm, Allstate and Farmers have all pulled back.
Earlier this month, State Farm asked California’s insurance regulator to approve a 30 percent rate increase for the owner-occupied home insurance it still provides in the state.
Organizations:
Farm, Allstate, Farmers
Locations:
Lahaina, Maui, United States, California