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Insurance Commissioner Scott K. Saiki issued Commissioner's Memorandum 2026-9PC on September 17, 2026, requiring all insurers writing residential hurricane coverage in Hawaii, including any carrier that wrote such coverage at any time since 2010, to complete a Hawaii-specific data call worksheet on residential hurricane coverage. The commissioner cited the fact that Hawaii hurricane experience is not segregated in insurers' statutory financial filings, and said the division needs Hawaii-specific data to investigate the adequacy of rates and compliance with rate regulation under Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 431:2-201 and 431:14-114(c). Data submitted under the call is confidential and privileged, protected from subpoena, discovery, and admission in private civil actions. The worksheet covers the reporting period 2010 through 2025, and insurers must submit completed worksheets to the Insurance Division's Property and Casualty Filings Branch by December 31, 2026.

Hawaii's Insurance Commissioner has issued a declaration authorizing temporary assistance from nonresident independent adjusters following Hurricane Lala, Hurricane Lowell, and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Nolo, which struck the islands earlier this year. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes section 431:9-201(b), nonresident adjusters may operate in the state for up to 120 days from the date of registration to help handle the surge of property claims from the three storms. The declaration sets reporting requirements for insurers, independent adjusting companies, and producers that use out-of-state adjusters, including filing names and contact details within three days of an adjuster starting work. Nonresident adjusters already in Hawaii handling Hurricane Lala losses under earlier declarations may continue working until January 23, 2027, covering losses from all three storm events. Nonresident public adjusters are excluded from the declaration for now, pending a determination by the commissioner that such assistance is needed. Insurers are being urged to respond to property owners' storm claims promptly as the claims volume builds.

Digital insurance provider Lemonade has officially entered Hawaii's renters insurance market, offering policies starting at just $5 per month. The expansion comes as the state faces growing concerns over property damage from hurricanes and other severe weather events. Lemonade's insurance provides coverage for personal belongings, liability protection, and additional living expenses when a rental becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event. Through its mobile app, customers can obtain quotes, purchase policies, manage coverage, and submit claims, with the company reporting that approximately 40% of claims are processed instantly. The new offering provides Hawaii renters with another insurance option as residents seek affordable ways to protect themselves financially. Coverage limitations and exclusions, including those involving flooding, still apply.

First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH) has announced the promotion of Nina Ota to Senior Vice President of Underwriting, effective October 1, 2026. Ota, who joined the Honolulu-based insurance company in 1998 as a management trainee, brings nearly three decades of experience across multiple departments, including personal and commercial insurance, information technology, and marketing. In her new leadership position, she will oversee the company's commercial and personal lines underwriting divisions. Her promotion reflects a longstanding career with FICOH and extensive experience in Hawaii's insurance industry.

Hawaii homeowners are facing rising insurance costs and growing gaps in coverage as severe weather events, including recent Kona-low storms and the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires, place additional pressure on the state's insurance market. A report from the Insurance Fairness Project warns that increasing disaster risks could drive premiums even higher, leaving many residents uninsured or underinsured. Hawaii farmers also face challenges obtaining adequate protection through federal insurance programs. While the Hawaii Insurance Division acknowledges growing pressures from natural disasters, inflation, and reinsurance costs, it cautions that some findings in the report have not been independently verified. The situation raises concerns about the long-term affordability and availability of property insurance throughout the islands.