California Department of Insurance Launches LA Wildfire Insurance Claims Tracker

The California Department of Insurance is making it easier to track wildfire insurance claims.

Launched earlier this month, the LA County Wildfire Claims Tracker helps homeowners view and manage the status of their insurance claim.

According to the tracker, more than $6.9 billion has been paid to wildfire victims as of late February 2025 – up from $4 billion at the end of January.

That number is expected to continue rising. Insurance companies are estimating the total cost of the Los Angeles County wildfires will be between $35 and $45 billion.

To date, 33,717 claims have been filed, with 19,854 claims being partially paid.

California Requires Insurers to Pay Claims Upfront

California recently passed legislation requiring insurance companies to immediately cover certain upfront costs for wildfire victims.

The legislation prevents insurance companies from dragging their feet and delaying payout – say, if a fire destroys a home and leaves the homeowner without a safe place to stay.

California Department of Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a bulletin on January 23 ordering insurance companies to advance funds to homeowners worth 30% of the policy’s dwelling limit, up to $250,000, without requiring the homeowner to file an itemized claim.

Insurers are also required to provide an additional advance payment to cover no fewer than four months of additional living expenses (ALE).

In other words, homeowners who lost a home in the wildfires may have already received a significant payment from their insurer. This money can help cover unexpected costs in the days following a disaster.

Claims Data to Date

According to the California Department of Insurance’s LA County Wildfire Claims Tracker, here are some of the stats linked to the January 2025 fires:

• 33,717 claims filed to date
• 19,854 claims partially paid
• $6.9 billion in claims paid to date
• Insurers must provide advance payment of 30% of the policy’s dwelling limit (up to $250,000)
• Insurers must also cover no fewer than four months worth of additional living expenses
• Total estimated losses are expected to be between $35 and $45 billion

The data comes from insurers and from Californias FAIR Plan, which acts as the insurer of last resort for homeowners across the state. After State Farm and other insurers canceled policies in Southern California, homeowners may have purchased insurance via the FAIR Plan.

According to California Department of Insurance Commissioner spokesperson Michael Soller, the agency collected this data as an extra level of transparency for policyholders:

“You’ve probably seen estimates out there. But this is the first real number of what’s been paid out to date to consumers,” Soller said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

To view the latest numbers from the Los Angele wildfires, view the LA County Wildfire Claims Tracker here.