Latest Catastrophe Headlines

All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.

FEMA Accused of Wrongly Releasing Data of California Wildfire Victims

Apr 1 2019 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency wrongly released to a contractor the personal information of 2.3 million survivors of devastating 2017 hurricanes and wildfires, potentially exposing the victims to identity fraud...

U.S. Judge Finds No Liability for European Banks in Iran Terrorism Financing

Apr 1 2019 // A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to hold nine large European banks liable for allegedly providing banking services to Iran that enabled militants to conduct 55 attacks against U.S. armed forces in neighboring...

Scientists Investigate Recent Earthquakes in the South

Apr 1 2019 // Scientists are sending additional sensors to south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with aims of solving the mystery of what caused a spate of recent earthquakes. Five earthquakes have been detected in the region within a...

How Disasters, Tax Reform Affected P/C Insurers’ Performance in 2018

Apr 1 2019 // Mainly due to above-average catastrophe losses, the aggregate financial performance of U.S. publicly traded property/casualty insurers deteriorated slightly in 2018, according to a new A.M. Best special report. The...

NOAA Retires Hurricane Names Florence, Michael

Apr 1 2019 // The names of two hurricanes that caused widespread devastation from Florida to Virginia last year have been retired. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says Florence and Michael will be replaced with...

Hurricane Michael, Other Challenges Impacting Georgia’s Timber Industry

Apr 1 2019 // Georgia’s timber industry is facing many headwinds as it seeks to recover from the severe damage wrought by Hurricane Michael late last year. The storm erased three-quarters of a billion dollars in timber, The...

How Drones and Aerial Imagery Use Rose to New Heights Post 2018 Catastrophes

Apr 1 2019 // The importance of drones and aerial imagery rose to a new level in the wake of 2018 natural catastrophes as insurers made them an integral part of their disaster recovery procedures, particularly following the hurricanes...

Surplus Lines Windstorm/Hail Bills Move Forward in Texas Legislature

Mar 29 2019 // Legislation clarifying that eligible surplus lines insurers can provide windstorm and hail insurance, despite available coverage from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), has moved forward in the Texas...

Severe Weather Season is Here

Mar 28 2019 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic. Severe convective storms—the group name given to tornadoes, hail, and straight-line winds—are among the most common and damage-inducing natural catastrophes in the...

5th Earthquake This Month Strikes Near Alabama-Florida State Line

Mar 27 2019 // Another weak earthquake has struck near the Alabama-Florida state line. News outlets report it’s the fifth small quake in the area this month. There has been no damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey said a...

California to Waive Environmental Rules to Prep for Wildfire Season

Mar 26 2019 // California Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to bypass environmental regulations to prepare for the next wildfire season, a move he said was necessary to prevent further loss of life even as it frustrated activists in a state...

PG&E Pushes Back on Judge’s Proposals to Prevent Wildfires

Mar 25 2019 // Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is pushing back on a U.S. judge’s revised proposals to prevent the utility’s equipment from causing more wildfires, saying it could not “monitor every tree at every moment...

FEMA Gave Private Contractor Personal Data on 2.3 Million Hurricane, Wildfire Survivors

Mar 25 2019 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency wrongly released to a contractor the personal information of 2.3 million survivors of devastating 2017 hurricanes and wildfires, potentially exposing the victims to identity fraud...

Hailstorm That Slammed Southern California Unusual, Though Not Unheard of

Mar 21 2019 // A rare hailstorm hit normally sunny Southern California on Wednesday, as residents flocked to social media to post pictures of driveways, lawns and roofs blanketed in white nickel-size ice chunks. The National Weather...

Hurricane Michael, Other Challenges Impacting Georgia’s Timber Industry

Mar 21 2019 // Georgia’s timber industry is facing many headwinds as it seeks to recover from the severe damage wrought by Hurricane Michael late last year. The storm erased three-quarters of a billion dollars in timber, The...

16 Tornadoes Confirmed in Alabama During Recent Storms

Mar 21 2019 // The National Weather Service has confirmed a 16th tornado from an outbreak that left damage across Alabama last week. Forecasters say a small twister with winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) was on the ground for a little more...

Those Who Name Hurricanes Retire Michael, Florence Names

Mar 21 2019 // Hurricanes Florence and Michael will never ravage the Americas again. The two names have been stricken from the official list of Atlantic storms after killing nearly 100 people in the U.S. South last year, the National...

Burning Down a House to Show How to Build for Wildfire Defense

Mar 20 2019 // Powered by InsuranceJournal.tv After only a year into his job as CEO and president of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, Roy Wright is setting the place on fire. The IBHS conducted a demonstration in...

PERILS Lowers Loss Estimate for December 2018 Sydney Hailstorms to A$633M

Mar 20 2019 // PERILS AG disclosed its second loss estimate of A$633 million (US$449.2 million) for the hailstorms which affected the greater Sydney region on Dec. 20, 2018. The estimate also includes the losses from the storm activity...

New Mexico Tornado Destroyed 10 Homes, Inured 5

Mar 19 2019 // A tornado that ripped roofs from buildings and injured five people in a tiny New Mexico town left a trail of debris, authorities reported. The tornado touched down outside of Dexter last week on Tuesday evening before...