Lutsen Resort owner Bryce Campbell sues insurer over denied fire claim

Bryce Campbell and his company, North Shore Resort Co., have filed a lawsuit against insurer, Owners Insurance Co., after it denied a $16.5 million claim following a 2024 fire that destroyed the historic Lutsen Resort lodge.

Court records show the lawsuit was filed Jan. 23 in federal court against the Michigan-based insurance company, the same day the insurer formally denied liability for the loss of Lutsen Resort.

In the lawsuit, North Shore Resort Co. stated the insurance provider’s denial of payment was a breach of the “parties’ insurance contract.”

Campbell, the owner of Lutsen Resort, filed an insurance claim shortly after the February 2024 fire. According to court records, Campbell attributed the loss of Lutsen Resort to a “fire of unknown origin.”

Lutsen Resort ruins in February 2024 | Photo by Kirsten Wisniewski

Court records state that when he filed the insurance claim following the Lutsen Resort fire, Campbell signed a “Statement of the Insureds,” which affirms the loss did not originate by any intentional act, design, or procurement on the part of the insured or this affiant. It also states that no attempt to deceive the said company, as to the extent of said loss, has in any manner been made.

The recent denial of the insurance claim and the subsequent civil action come as Campbell faces criminal charges connected to the fire, allegations he has repeatedly denied. On Dec. 3, 2025, Campbell was arrested and formally charged with arson and insurance fraud. Campbell’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 9.

In the years leading up to the 2024 fire, Campbell had increased the insurance policy for Lutsen Resort. In August 2022, Campbell increased the policy from $8.4 million to $11 million. A year later, in May 2023, Campbell increased the insurance policy from $11 million to $13 million. According to the criminal complaint, the cost of the insurance claim totaled $16.5 million.

Kalli Hawkins January 31, 2026