A wildfire near Smithville, Texas on Sept. 5 burning piles of lumber and ranch posts. By this time, the fire had destroyed nearly 500 homes as it was fanned by winds from Tropical Storm Lee.

According to Highline Data, a Summit Business Media Company, the top writers of homeowners’ multi-peril in Texas in 2010 are State Farm Group with a market share of 28.9 percent; Allstate Insurance Group (12.5 percent); Zurich Insurance Group (12.4 percent); USAA Group (7.7 percent); and Liberty Mutual (5.2 percent).

(Credit: AP Photo/Erich Schlegel)

In this Sept. 5 AP file photo, firefighters battle a wildfire near Smithville, Texas.

According to the Texas Forest Service, since wildfire season began on Nov. 15, 2010, firefighters have responded in East Texas to 2,151 wildfires that charred 207,763 acres.

(Credit: AP Photo/Erich Schlegel, File)

Stairs from a home destroyed by wildfires.

ICT spokesman Mark Hanna says, “Lots of money from insurers has already exchanged hands for living expenses. Many homeowners had no home to go back to. They are with friends and family or at motels and trailers. Every major insurer is there.”

(Credit: AP Photo/Waco Tribune-Herald, Duane A. Laverty)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry studies a map of wildfire-affected Bastrop County with other officials on Sept. 5.

The Associated Press reports that Texas' forest service came up with a $20.4 million plan to stop wildfire flames from starting or tamp them out before small blazes grew destructive, but three years later, the plan is still only half-funded.

(Credit: AP Photo/Alberto MartÌnez, Pool)

An image provided by NASA shows the Texas wildfires as seen on Sept. 6 from the International Space Station. The photo was taken by astronaut Ron Garan.

In addition to homeowners losses, Texas AgriLife notes that agricultural losses due to wildfires have piled up. About 185 structures, more than 1,100 cattle, 5,475 miles of fence and 2.6 million acres of pastures have been lost.

(Credit: AP Photo/NASA)

Smoke from the Bastrop wildfire on Sept. 6.

ICT spokesman Hanna says the Bastrop fire alone has caused at least $150 million in insured losses so far, eclipsing the previous record of $115 million in 2009 for wildfire losses in all of Texas for the entire year.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A homeowner observes his fire-destroyed home on Sept. 6.

ICT spokesman Hanna says fires this year, aided by dry vegetation from an extreme drought across Texas, have affected populated areas on the edges of cities, whereas in years past they have typically been in rural, less-populated areas.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A Sept. 7 photo of homes in Bastrop County destroyed by wildfires.

The Bastrop fire and the Union Chapel Fire have consumed 1,554 homes and killed two civilians, according to the Texas Forest Service.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A helicopter drops water on a fire in Chapel Hill, Texas near Tyler, Texas on Sept. 8. The fire threatened oil wells and oil storage tanks.

(Credit: AP Photo Scott M. Lieberman)

Firefighters from many areas combined forces to combat the wildfires. Here, a firefighter from the Lassen National Forest team in Calif. cleans up a hot spot from the Bastrop, Texas fire on Sept. 10.

As of Sept. 22, the Bastrop County fire has consumed 34,068 acres and is 95 percent contained, according to the Texas Forest Service. The ICT says that as of Sept. 21, nearly all homeowners affected by the fires have been contacted by their insurers and are in the recovery process.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Schlegel - POOL)