Hawaii’s Supreme Court has ruled that insurance companies can’t bring their own legal actions against those blamed for Maui’s catastrophic 2023 wildfire, the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century.

Summary

Hawaii’s Supreme Court ruled that insurance companies cannot pursue separate legal action against those blamed for the 2023 Maui wildfire, allowing a $4 billion settlement to move forward.

The fire, which devastated Lahaina and caused over $5.5 billion in damage, led to lawsuits against Hawaiian Electric and others.

Insurers had sought to recoup $2.3 billion already paid to policyholders, but the court ruled against them.

The decision clears a major hurdle to expediting compensation for victims and preventing prolonged litigation.