How we’re responding to the devastating wildfires in Hawaii

The flames that swept across Hawaii in early August have taken a tragic toll. Stoked by hurricane-force winds, the wildfire that leveled the historic town of Lahaina on Maui was the deadliest U.S. conflagration in a century. Buildings were damaged or destroyed, representing billions of dollars in damage and the ruin of important historical and cultural sites. We extend our deepest sympathies to our clients who have been affected and to the Hawaiian people at this time of unimaginable loss.

Unfortunately, the island state faces unique challenges when it comes to reconstruction. Maui is surrounded by water, with the U.S. mainland more than 2,000 miles away. Many parts of the island, including the Lahaina area, are only reachable by a single main road. “Access to a lot of the materials and components we’re going to need to build back — framing, roofing, flooring, drywall — could take much longer, as building supplies may have to be shipped in,” said Larry D’Avenia, Senior Vice President of Field Property Claims at Chubb. “This is going to be something that we will help our clients through.”

In responding to natural catastrophes, Chubb's claims team draws on experience from other disasters. Last year, for example, D’Avenia helped oversee the company’s response on Florida’s Sanibel Island, which sustained acute damage in Hurricane Ian. The storm damaged bridges connecting Sanibel to the mainland, leveled many structures, and left at least two people dead. “One striking similarity is the level of devastation that took place during both events, but Maui was much more upsetting, mostly due to the lack of time to prepare and ensure all residents could evacuate safely," D'Avenia said. The extent of damage affects the availability of infrastructure and the likelihood of residual threats. “There won’t necessarily be easy access to potable water and food for some time,” D’Avenia said. “And we have to be cautious… there will potentially be a lot of contaminants in the damaged areas.” Potential curfews could limit the time available to complete inspections and assessments. The scale of destruction also takes an emotional toll. On Maui, “a lot of people are going to know each other. As we see folks identified who didn’t make it, it’s going to be tremendously difficult for a lot of clients,” D’Avenia said.   

Drawing on Chubb’s experience in Sanibel, with recent wildfires in California, and with countless other disasters across more than 230 years in business, we’re ready to help our clients in Hawaii take steps toward recovery. That starts with getting senior leaders and other representatives on the ground as fast as possible to ensure that people and businesses receive claim payments quickly. Matthew Witcher, an Assistant Vice President and Claims Manager who lived in Hawaii as a child and visits often with his own family, plans to look in on every property personally. “These are homeowners who have gone through something that they never imagined in their life would happen,” he said. “We have the ability to respond quickly to these types of events based on our experience and will strive to provide prompt claim payments to assist our clients with their immediate needs.”

Chubb will coordinate closely with clients to confirm they or a representative can be on site for inspections, and we’ll follow directives from local authorities to ensure we’re proceeding safely and considerately. We will navigate changes in the accessibility of different areas, which may be closed off abruptly due to government operations, debris, or other concerns. “It takes a lot of adaptability and planning day by day,” D’Avenia said.

We will also prioritize working with local contractors and building consultants to draw on their expertise with the island’s unique building materials and give back to the community. “We have an opportunity to assist the local economy impacted by this devastating event by engaging local experts, restoration companies, and general contractors,” Witcher said. As Hawaii rebuilds, Chubb is here to help our clients every step of the way.