(BIVN) – On Thursday evening, hundreds of residents – most of them having just lost a property to lava during the new eruption of Kilauea – filled The Stables at Hawaiian Beaches to get information on insurance claims.

The State and County of Hawai’i and Hawaii Public Adjusters hosted the forum that included input from United Policy Holders, Hawaii County Bar Associates and Professionals from Hawaii Public Adjusters. The residents were given a crash course on “the general means, methods and standard practices for filing claims,” and engaged in a question and answer session with the presenters.

It is estimated that over 500 homes have been taken by lava since the eruption began in May.