State Farm, the largest insurance company in California, has asked state regulators to immediately approve a steep rate hike for homeowners to prevent a “dire situation” for its customers and the broader insurance market in the wake of the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires.

State Farm has received more than 8,700 claims from the Los Angeles fires alone and paid more than $1 billion to customers, according to the company. The insurer expects to pay out significantly more, and the fires will be the costliest in the history of State Farm, the company said.

Citing what it calls a potentially “dire situation,” State Farm asked California for permission to hike insurance rates by an average of 22%.