Maui Wildfires - Coverage Considerations And What Business Policyholders Need To Know

The Maui wildfires are now the deadliest—and certainly among the most destructive—in modern US history, already outpacing the loss of life and impact on critical wildlife habitat/species of the 2018 Camp fire in California. Businesses have suffered corresponding devastation as well, particularly in the tourism and hospitality sectors.¹ Insurance can and should play a vital role in the rebuilding effort. But it is crucial that policyholders handle their insurance claims prudently, understanding their potential insurance rights and obligations to maximize insurance recoveries.

Affected businesses may have a variety of first-party commercial insurance policies upon which they may rely for rebuilding and repair of damaged structures or vessels, debris removal, lost production, increased costs of code compliance, business income, extra expenses incurred as a result of the wildfire's impact, and potentially lost income as a result of damage to suppliers and customer