California wildfire losses total $9 billion ... so far
Insured losses from the Camp Fire and two other major blazes that ravaged California last month now tally $9 billion and the total is expected to be even higher, state officials said Wednesday.
More than $7 billion of the total figure comes from the Camp Fire, which destroyed about 18,800 structures in Butte County. The remaining $2 billion covers losses from the Woolsey and Hill fires, which destroyed or damaged more than 1,800 buildings.
The figures are based on the losses reported so far by insurance companies and will be updated in the coming months as more data becomes available, according to the office of Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones.
The insurance commissioner’s office expects the total losses to grow as insurance companies and policyholders continue accessing their burned properties and amending their claims.
In a statement, Jones called the deaths of nearly 90 people among the three fires — the vast majority in Butte County — and the current estimate for insured losses “shocking numbers.”
“Behind the insured loss numbers are thousands of people who’ve been traumatized by the unfathomable loss.”
One week after this year’s fires ignited, Jones asked insurers to bring in adjusters from their offices in other states to help process the massive number of claims coming from the November fires.
California insurers have reported more than 28,500 claims for residential losses, about 2,000 claims for commercial losses and 9,400 for auto and other kinds of losses, according to Jones’ office.
Fewer losses were reported out of last year’s North Bay firestorm, which resulted in $10 billion in insured losses. While the fires this year have already recorded far more claims than the 2017 blazes, Jones noted the home values in Butte County are far lower than Sonoma County, the hardest-hit area last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris