Insurance Cannot Replace the Irreplaceable

Like many of us, I've been periodically watching reports on the Los Angeles area wildfires and thinking about them more often. Clearly these historic and horrific fires leave in their wake human tragedies too numerous to count. Peoples' lives are or will be forever changed. More than property, per se, I've been thinking about what insurance cannot replace, and these lost lives, priceless items, and more constitute the greater devastating impact for many. What is it in our lives that insurance cannot replace? To answer this, we must answer the question, what do we value? All this leads us quickly from material loss to spiritual and emotional loss, to existential questions about God and life itself. For more Christian commentary see my website at www.rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers for more podcasts and videos. #wildfires #existenitalquestions #insurance #loss

Transcript

What can we learn from the Los Angeles area wildfires?

Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #188 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.

Undoubtedly many of us have been watching news reports and thinking about the horrific Los Angeles area wildfires. You have to go back to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that “eventually consumed roughly 3.3 square miles, killed up to 300 people and left 100,000 homeless” or the San Francisco Fire of 1906 in which “over 25,000 buildings were destroyed over 490 city blocks and 3,000 people died,” or the Hawaii fires of 2023 to find comparisons in the area affected and the number of homes and structures destroyed.

The Great Fire of London raced through the city during the Black Plague and destroyed over 13,000 homes, leaving 100,000 people homeless. And there are many other historic fires that destroyed entire cities, forcing survivors to work decades to rebuild. So, fire is nothing new, but in our modern age we’ve fooled ourselves into thinking such extensive, unstoppable power is somehow a thing of the past, that mass devastation can’t happen now, certainly not in Tinsel Town. 

Then it happened.

I’ve been thinking about what’s lost and what can be salvaged or rebuilt. Obviously, loss of the lives of loved ones cannot be recovered. At this writing there are 27 lives lost and more than 12,300 structures destroyed.

“The ongoing fires could become the most expensive in terms of insured losses in California history, with analysts estimating that losses could approach $20bn.”

“Private forecaster AccuWeather estimates total damage and economic loss between $250bn and $275bn, which would make the LA fires the costliest natural disaster in US history, surpassing Hurricane Katrina in 2005.”

“Before the fires broke out, insurance groups such as State Farm and Allstate started cancelling home insurance policies in areas prone to fires. As of 2022, the Illinois-based State Farm was California’s largest insurer. In July 2024, it dropped about 1,600 policies for homeowners in Pacific Palisades, which meant 69.4 percent of its insurance policies in the county were not renewed.”

These actions did not take place simply because the insurer wanted to ditch California but because the state had previously capped the insurance premiums companies could charge, thus making the insurance an unprofitable proposition for the companies.

So, it remains to be seen if some families, particularly ones without considerable personal resources, will be left with no insurance or not enough insurance to replace their homes in the burned over communities. It’s another thing, too, even if they have insurance, whether families will want to rebuild in what are warzone neighborhoods bereft of trees and the shrubbery so prized for privacy. In addition, will families want to rebuild not knowing what the rebuilt neighborhood will look like, what the homes near them will be like, and in an area where businesses and amenities like parks, etc., do not exist. 

My guess is that homes in Malibu, bordering Hwy-1 running alongside the Pacific Ocean will be the first to be rebuilt, for two reasons: one, these homes were nearly all multi-million-dollar residences and thus owned by families with substantial means, and two, the ocean beach is still there. Once cleanup takes place, Malibu will look like Malibu, which is not necessarily the case in Pacific Palisades or other canyon or hillside communities.

Like the impact of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, September 2024, families were left with properties, i.e., dirt, but they still owed the bank for the mortgage on the house that no longer existed. This could happen in California too. 

Add to this the anger aimed at government officials that we’re hearing come in the wake of what many say were preventable, or at least containable, fires. Assuming this anger will continue and grow, and among the angry are celebrities with names, fame, fortunes, and capacity to talk to the media, there may be extensive lawsuits come from these hellish fires. If so, likely so, this is going to take time.

I’ve been thinking more about the fact that insurance cannot replace the irreplaceable. Earlier we mentioned loss of life, including pets. That’s of course number one. But then there is the content of these thousands of homes. For example, people’s sentimental items that have no real financial value but to the owner priceless value. This could be family heirlooms, pictures, toys, clothing, souvenirs, collections of one kind or another. It could be someone’s modest but meaningful arts and crafts, wedding or anniversary gifts. None of these things, once burned, can be replaced.

Then there are the homes wherein the owner, maintained memorabilia from his or her career, or the sports achievements of a family member, trophies, medals, awards. I’ve already seen one picture, which frankly could have been generated by A.I., that showed a movie Oscar lying amongst burned rubble, tarnished, damaged.

Now whether this was a real picture or a generated one, the point stands, many film and television celebrities lost homes too, and some of them indeed had won Oscars and featured them in their homes.

Years ago, when we lived north of New York City in Westchester County, the surrounding communities featured high-end homes like those found in Pacific Palisades. While the houses were million-dollar structures of far greater value was the fact a few of these homes contained artworks, sculptures, and artifacts within them that were worth tens of millions, sometimes ten times the value of the house.

It’s not too much of a stretch to think that many of the homes that burned in the California fires, especially perhaps those belonging to higher net worth families, contained serious valuable artworks within them, art now lost. None of these original artworks can be replaced.

Insurance cannot replace the irreplaceable.

The 2023 Türkiye/Syria earthquakes killed 53,537 in Türks and up to 8,476 Syrans, and left 1.5 million homeless: at least 518,009 houses and over 345,000 apartments were destroyed in Türkiye. It’s too hard to estimate in Syria. In the aftermath, the ministry with which I serve, SAT-7, Middle East and North Africa satellite television and online media, reported on people’s needs.

Of course, like for many in the Californian wildfires, the immediate need is “physical relief,” the basic human requirements of safety, shelter, food, medical and health assistance. People need rescue and aid addressing life-threatening and other injuries, they need somewhere to stay, and they need physical stability and sustenance. They may need transportation to get to safe havens. This took place in Türkiye and Syria as tens of thousands of international aid teams came to help from all over the world. It’s happening now in Los Angeles County.

Very quickly, once what amounted to M.A.S.H. units set up in Türkiye and Syria attended to serious medical and health threats, our staff were told by doctors and nurses on site that people began expressing a desire not simply for physical relief but for “spiritual relief.” They began asking existential questions, like,

Where is God? Did he forget us; is he punishing us? Why did I survive but my brother did not? How could a fair, loving, and just God allow something like this to happen? Why didn’t an all-powerful God stop this from happening? What will happen to us now?

Right now, and assuredly in the days ahead, these kinds of existential “spiritual” questions are being asked and they’re going to be asked for the foreseeable future.

People made in the image of God, whether they acknowledge him or not, look for spiritual solace in the face of adversity, destruction, and in some cases death. People what to know why and they yearn for hope.

News reports have tended to focus on who’s to blame for the fires? What political leaders and what political party is responsible? Could the fires have been prevented or at least fire prevention and mitigation efforts better employed? If not prevented, could the fires have been curtailed sooner? These kinds of questions are likely to go on for weeks if not years to come.

In the meantime, people will privately if not publicly ask why? As believers, we can cite a tremendous Os Guinness insight, we do not or will not always know why, but we know the God who knows why. We can help those who ask existential questions. We can respond with faith and assurance, knowing the Sovereign God is not surprised and has not departed, indeed he is there to bless those who respond to him.

I’m not sure what all God wants this nation to learn from these horrific and tragic fires, but I do know “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling” (Ps. 46:1-3).

Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best. If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Download an episode for your friends. For more Christian commentary, check my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com. Or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers for more podcasts and video.

And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2025   

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