Now we wait. The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday heard lawyers’ arguments on a proposed $4 billion “global settlement” for the August 2023 Maui wildfires — and is expected to rule in the next few weeks if that deal can proceed.

Nearly all parties involved — including fire survivors, the state, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Electric and other utilities — agree that the deal, while imperfect, would bring needed closure and fiscal stability. But insurers, which have already paid out $2.3 billion in policyholder claims, want to guard their industry-standard right to request reimbursement from the at-fault party.