THE SENATE S.R. NO. 178 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING HAWAII INSURERS and the Hawaii Property Insurance Association TO REDUCE INSURANCE costs ON LOCAL RESIDENTS BY PURSUING subrogation CLAIMS AGAINST POLLUTERS who KNOWINGLY engaged in misleading and DECEPTIVE practices regarding the connection between their products and climate change.
THE SENATE S.R. NO. 178
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
THE SENATE
S.R. NO.
178
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
SENATE RESOLUTION
ENCOURAGING HAWAII INSURERS and the Hawaii Property Insurance Association TO REDUCE INSURANCE costs ON LOCAL RESIDENTS BY PURSUING subrogation CLAIMS AGAINST POLLUTERS who KNOWINGLY engaged in misleading and DECEPTIVE practices regarding the connection between their products and climate change.
WHEREAS, warming sea and air temperatures due to heat trapped by increasing carbon emissions are worsening weather events, including hurricanes and droughts, and destabilizing Hawaii's climate; and WHEREAS, overwhelming evidence demonstrates that certain responsible polluters in the fossil fuel industry have been aware of their contribution to climate change for decades and have knowingly engaged in misleading and deceptive practices regarding the connection between their products and climate change, exacerbating climate-related harms; and WHEREAS, climate-related harms pose a threat to the health, safety, and security of all residents of, and visitors to, Hawaii; and WHEREAS, injured parties deserve to be made whole; and WHEREAS, increasing climate-related disasters and risk have contributed significantly to the destabilization of the State's insurance industry, particularly in the property and casualty insurance sector, and has led to rising premiums and increasing non-renewal rates due to payouts for climate-related damages, including the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires; and WHEREAS, insurers and injured parties have previously pursued claims against responsible parties related to the opioid epidemic, big tobacco, and other major parties responsible for widespread damages affecting insurance premiums to ensure that the burden of financial loss does not fall solely on policyholders and taxpayers; and WHEREAS, Hawaii has a compelling state interest in protecting its citizens from climate disasters, extreme weather events attributable to climate change, and harms resulting from long-term changes to the climate system, with protection including affordable access to a functioning insurance market in the State; and WHEREAS, the State maintains a compelling interest in protecting consumers from misleading and deceptive practices; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body encourages Hawaii insurers and the Hawaii Property Insurance Association to reduce insurance costs on local residents by pursuing subrogation claims against polluters who knowingly engaged in misleading and deceptive practices regarding the connection between their products and climate change; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Attorney General; Insurance Commissioner; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission; President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners; and Plan Administrator of the Hawaii Property Insurance Association. Report Title: Insurance; Claims; Polluters; Climate Change; Insurance Rates
WHEREAS, warming sea and air temperatures due to heat trapped by increasing carbon emissions are worsening weather events, including hurricanes and droughts, and destabilizing Hawaii's climate; and
WHEREAS, overwhelming evidence demonstrates that certain responsible polluters in the fossil fuel industry have been aware of their contribution to climate change for decades and have knowingly engaged in misleading and deceptive practices regarding the connection between their products and climate change, exacerbating climate-related harms; and
WHEREAS, climate-related harms pose a threat to the health, safety, and security of all residents of, and visitors to, Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, injured parties deserve to be made whole; and
WHEREAS, increasing climate-related disasters and risk have contributed significantly to the destabilization of the State's insurance industry, particularly in the property and casualty insurance sector, and has led to rising premiums and increasing non-renewal rates due to payouts for climate-related damages, including the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires; and
WHEREAS, insurers and injured parties have previously pursued claims against responsible parties related to the opioid epidemic, big tobacco, and other major parties responsible for widespread damages affecting insurance premiums to ensure that the burden of financial loss does not fall solely on policyholders and taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii has a compelling state interest in protecting its citizens from climate disasters, extreme weather events attributable to climate change, and harms resulting from long-term changes to the climate system, with protection including affordable access to a functioning insurance market in the State; and
WHEREAS, the State maintains a compelling interest in protecting consumers from misleading and deceptive practices; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body encourages Hawaii insurers and the Hawaii Property Insurance Association to reduce insurance costs on local residents by pursuing subrogation claims against polluters who knowingly engaged in misleading and deceptive practices regarding the connection between their products and climate change; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Attorney General; Insurance Commissioner; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission; President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners; and Plan Administrator of the Hawaii Property Insurance Association.
Report Title:
Insurance; Claims; Polluters; Climate Change; Insurance Rates