California Wildfires Seen Costing Insurers Up to $13 Billion
California Wildfires Seen Costing Insurers Up to $13 Billion
(Bloomberg) -- The Camp and Woolsey fires that have ravaged towns and killed dozens could cost insurers between $9 billion and $13 billion.
Those estimates include the damage to properties and cars, as well as the cost to cover business interruption, according to an estimate Monday from risk modeler RMS. That makes this the second wildfire season in a row where insured losses could top $10 billion.
The Camp Fire, which accounts for the bulk of those losses, has killed at least 77 people and destroyed the town of Paradise in northern California, while the Woolsey Fire ripped through Malibu, resulting in over 250,000 evacuations, according to RMS. The company has been developing a wildfire model to help measure the risk.
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To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael J. Moore at mmoore55@bloomberg.net, Pierre Paulden, Steven Crabill
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