Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Aon Policy Provides Financial Support to Terrorist Victims
Sep 27 2018 // Aon has collaborated with Pembroke Managing Agency at Lloyd’s to develop Public Protection Policy (PPP), which helps businesses provide financial support to individuals affected by a terrorist attack on a...
Post-Disaster Readiness: The Psychology of Downed Trees
Sep 26 2018 // We are grateful for friend of the Academy, Christopher J. Boggs, CPCU, ARM, ALCM, LPCS, AAI, APA, CWCA, CRIS, AINS, Executive Director, Big “I” Virtual University who provided this very personal post. Thanks,...
Insured Losses from China’s Typhoon Mangkhut Estimated at US$1B-US$2B: AIR
Sep 26 2018 // Industry insured losses from Typhoon Mangkhut in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau will be between US$1 billion and US$2 billion, according to catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide. After making landfall in the...
Florence Impact on Insurers Tempered by Mostly Uninsured Flood Losses
Sep 25 2018 // This enhanced satellite image made available by NOAA shows Hurricane Florence off the eastern coast of the United States on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 at 5:52 p.m. EDT. (NOAA via AP) Insurance industry losses from Hurricane...
Carolinas Still Facing Major Flooding More Than a Week After Florence
Sep 24 2018 // Major flooding remains in eastern North Carolina more than a week after Hurricane Florence made landfall. Gov. Roy Cooper said Saturday that nine of the state’s river gauges are at major flood stage and four others...
High Winds, Tornadoes Damage Homes, Businesses in Southern Minnesota
Sep 24 2018 // Several tornadoes struck southern Minnesota as severe storms packing powerful winds and heavy rain left a trail of destruction overnight, the National Weather Service said Friday. The extreme weather late Thursday damaged...
Costs to Fight Wildfires in Utah Double This Year
Sep 24 2018 // Costs to fight wildfires in Utah are increasing by about $1 million a day right now and authorities expect the season to last throughout October. State Forester Brian Cottam says on average, there are roughly 1,100 fire...
California Passes Handful Bills Aimed at Protecting Wildfire Survivors
Sep 21 2018 // Five bills that their proponents say will protect wildfire survivors were signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday. The bills are aimed at addressing critical issues facing wildfire survivors including...
California Governor Signs Bill Giving Wildfire Victims Options for Rebuilding
Sep 21 2018 // Homeowners who lose their houses to wildfire will be able to use their insurance to rebuild somewhere else under an urgency bill signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday. Assembly Bill 1800, authored by by...
Following July Tornado, 60 Iowa Buildings Deemed Unsafe
Sep 21 2018 // Officials in central Iowa have designated about 60 structures as unsafe following a July tornado that damaged about 2,000 buildings. The Times-Republican reports that the properties in Marshalltown now have small red...
Remnants of Florence Spawned Six Tornadoes in Virginia
Sep 21 2018 // The National Weather Service has confirmed that the remnants of Hurricane Florence spawned a total of six tornadoes in Virginia earlier this week. Five of the tornadoes on Monday were spread across the Richmond metro area....
Allstate Reports $186 Million in Hail, Other Catastrophe Losses in August
Sep 21 2018 // The Allstate Corporation said estimated catastrophe losses for the month of August were $186 million, pre-tax ($147 million after-tax). Catastrophe losses occurring in August comprised 16 events at an estimated cost of...
Lloyd’s Returns to Pre-Tax Profits, Reporting £600M ($793.1M) During 1st Half
Sep 21 2018 // Lloyd’s reported a return to profits during the first half, in a welcome recovery after its big losses of 2017. Pre-tax profits during the half were £600 million ($793.1 million), compared to £1.2 billion ($1.6...
Feds Say Maryland Man Stole Hurricane Victim’s IDs as Part of $8M Scam
Sep 20 2018 // A Maryland man is accused of stealing hurricane victim’s identities as part what the Secret Service describes as an $8 million effort to scam a Federal Emergency Management Agency program. News outlets reported...
Home Price Appreciation in Highest-Risk Areas Outpaces Overall Rate
Sep 20 2018 // Natural hazards are good at grabbing headlines, but they aren’t as good as dissuading people from buying homes in high-risk areas, a new report shows. Median home prices in areas that are in the top 80 percentile for...
Largest Wildfire in California History Officially 100% Contained
Sep 19 2018 // Officials announced on Wednesday that the Mendocino Complex Fire, the largest wildfire in California’s history, is now 100 percent contained. The blaze burned a combined 459,123 acres, destroyed 280 structures...
Florence Floods: Hurricane Rating System Fails to Account for Deadly Rain
Sep 19 2018 // When meteorologists downgraded Hurricane Florence from a powerful Category 4 storm to a Category 2 and then a Category 1, Wayne Mills figured he could stick it out. He regrets it. The Neuse River, normally 150 feet away,...
Seismic Activity Increases Around Alaska Volcano
Sep 19 2018 // The Alaska Volcano Observatory is keeping watch on a remote volcano that’s showing signs of erupting. The observatory this week increased the alert level from “advisory” to “watch” at...
After Spate of Typhoons & Hurricanes, World’s Oceans May Take a Breather
Sep 19 2018 // With the remnants of Hurricane Florence wringing out heavy rain through the Appalachians and New England this week, and Typhoon Mangkhut winding down in southern China, it looks like the world’s oceans may take a...
Hurricane Florence’s Surge Is Expected to Hit Homes That Already Cost the Government Millions: ProPublica
Sep 18 2018 // Though the flooding from Hurricane Florence is predicted to be unprecedented, residents of the coastal North Carolina towns threatened by the storm surge know what it’s like to take on water. Some homes in these...
