Latest Australia Headlines
All the headlines from our Australia Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Venice Floods, Australia Wildfires Blamed on Climate Change
Nov 14 2019 // Extreme floods in Venice, fires in Australia and even an outbreak of plague in China have been attributed to climate change this week, while researchers have warned that global warming could saddle future generations with...
Fires Continue to Rage in Australia’s Most Populous State, New South Wales
Nov 13 2019 // Ferocious wildfires were burning at emergency-level intensity across Australia’s most populous state and into Sydney’s suburbs on Tuesday as authorities warned most people in their paths that there was no...
Insurance Council of Australia Declares Catastrophe for New South Wales Bushfires
Nov 12 2019 // The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) on Nov. 9 declared a catastrophe for the bushfires blazing in northern New South Wales. The catastrophe declaration is for communities on the mid-north coast affected by bushfires...
Australia Braces for Another Week of Devastating Bushfires
Nov 12 2019 // Australia is bracing for another week of devastating bushfires, with swaths of the eastern seaboard and even areas of greater Sydney facing a “catastrophic” threat that’s unprecedented at this time of...
Australia’s Pro-Coal Prime Minister Signals War on Climate Change Activists
Nov 1 2019 // Radical. Extreme. Anarchists: Scott Morrison’s choice of language Friday made it clear how he views some environmental protesters. Now the Australian prime minister is signaling he will legislate to stymie what he...
Australia Faces More Severe Cyclones, Wildfires, Floods as Climate Warms: IAG
Nov 1 2019 // Australia faces the prospect of more severe cyclones, wildfires and floods as the climate warms, the nation’s largest insurer said. A 3 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures will lead to higher intensity...
PCS Extends Catastrophe Loss Methodology to Australia, N. Zealand, SE Asia
Oct 30 2019 // Property Claims Services (PCS), a Verisk subsidiary, has extended the catastrophe loss aggregation methodology, previously developed for use in Japan, to cover more territories in the region. Starting Jan. 1, 2020, PCS...
BHSI Enters Australia Surety Market, Hiring Griffiths from Liberty Specialty to Lead Team
Oct 21 2019 // Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it is entering the surety market in Australia and has named Jonathan Griffiths as head of Surety, Australia. BHSI will focus on providing contract surety solutions...
Australia Steps Up Biosecurity at Airports to Prevent Deadly African Swine Fever
Oct 15 2019 // Australia banned a traveler from visiting for three years after she failed to declare her suitcase was loaded with food, including products that risk introducing a pig-killing virus. The 44-year-old woman, who arrived at...
Eastern Australia Wildfires Destroy Up to 30 Homes
Oct 10 2019 // About 500 firefighters were battling out-of-control wildfires in eastern Australia that have destroyed up to 30 homes. More than 40 bushfires were burning across New South Wales state. Temperatures were cooler Wednesday...
Munich Re Syndicate Labuan Promotes Ng to General Manager and Principle Officer
Sep 27 2019 // James Ng has been promoted to general manager and principle officer for Munich Re Syndicate Labuan Ltd. (MRSLab). Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ng will have overall responsibilities for the Labuan operations and its...
Property Loss Estimate for Australia’s Townsville Floods Rises to A$1.22B: PERILS
Aug 12 2019 // The property insurance market loss from the Australia’s Townsville floods, which affected northern Queensland, Australia, between Jan. 26 and Feb. 10, 2019, has risen to A$1.22 billion (US$827.1 million), according...
Greenlight Re Innovations Invests in Australia Property Claims Platform Handdii
Aug 9 2019 // Greenlight Re Innovations (GRI), a subsidiary of Greenlight Capital Re Ltd., announced it has made a strategic investment in Handdii Pty Ltd., a property insurance claims fulfillment platform. Melbourne, Australia-based...
CBA Joins Other Australian Companies with Aims to Cut Coal Exposure
Aug 8 2019 // Commonwealth Bank of Australia became the latest company to join a global push to reduce emissions and said it would phase out its exposure to thermal coal or power plants by 2030. The company announced a new environmental...
Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Fullerton Health Corporate Services in Australia
Aug 2 2019 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced that its risk management services subsidiary, Gallagher Bassett Services Inc., has acquired Fullerton Health Corporate Services from Fullerton Health Australia, which is part of...
Alphabet Has High Hopes for Its Drone Traffic Control App OpenSky
Jul 16 2019 // The company that brought you free digital maps and email wants to do the same thing for your drone. Wing LLC, an offshoot of Alphabet Inc.’s Google, on Tuesday unveiled a new app it calls OpenSky that it hopes will...
AXIS Re Hires Hands from CNA Hardy as Head of Australia
Jun 24 2019 // AXIS Re, the reinsurance business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. announced the expansion of AXIS Re Strategic Partners with the hiring of Robert Hands as a strategic account executive and head of Australia. In this...
Insured Property Losses for December 2018 Sydney Hailstorms Rise to A$766M: PERILS
Jun 20 2019 // Insured losses for the hailstorms, which hit the greater Sydney region on Dec. 20, 2018, have risen to A$766 million (US$526.6 million), according to PERILS, in its third loss estimate for the storms. PERILS, the...
Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Australia Workplace Risk Consultant P2 Group
Jun 18 2019 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Hawthorn, Victoria-based P2 Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2003, P2 Group helps employers proactively manage occupational health...
BHSI Opens Office in S. Australia, Taps Holland from Chubb as Underwriting Manager
Jun 12 2019 // Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it has expanded its presence in Australia to South Australia, opening an office in Adelaide and naming Monica Holland as underwriting manager. Holland will work...
