Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Frontline Insurance Secures First Cat Bond of $350M for Southeast Storms
Jul 31 2018 // Swiss Re Capital Markets has structured and placed the issuance of $350 million of insurance-linked securities by Frontline Re Ltd. on behalf of Frontline Insurance. The transaction is Frontline’s debut catastrophe...
Northern California Wildfire Rages; More Deaths, Evacuations Reported
Jul 30 2018 // Thousands of dazed evacuees struggled to keep their emotions in check while trying to take care of themselves and their pets as a deadly wildfire in Northern California raged into its fourth day. Anna Noland, 49, was...
Strong Earthquake Hits Indonesia’s Lombok Island, Killing at Least 14 People
Jul 30 2018 // A strong and shallow earthquake early Sunday killed at least 14 people and injured more than 160 on Indonesia’s Lombok island, a popular tourist destination next to Bali, officials said. The quake damaged more than...
Tropical Storm Hits Japan, Heads for Region Still Recovering from Floods
Jul 30 2018 // A tropical storm in Japan disrupted transportation and knocked out power to thousands of homes in its path as it headed west toward a region still recovering from devastating rains earlier this month. At least 16 people...
Texas Seeks Input on Draft of Revisions to Catastrophe Data Call Standards
Jul 27 2018 // Texas insurance regulators have responded to insurer requests for revisions to its standards for catastrophe data calls and is seeking input on the proposed changes. The Texas Department of Insurance said following...
Northern California Wildfire Kills One; Hundreds Evacuate
Jul 27 2018 // At least one person died in a wildfire that swept through Northern California, destroying buildings and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate late Thursday. The blaze, which killed a bulldozer operator working on fire...
Hartford’s Q2 Results Reflect Big Commercial Lines Gain
Jul 27 2018 // The Hartford reported improved results for the second quarter compared to the same quarter last year, particularly in its commercial lines and group benefits businesses. Overall net income was $582 million in second...
After Recent Historic Floods, Japan Readies for Typhoon Jongdari
Jul 27 2018 // Typhoon Jongdari is set to make landfall on Japan’s mainland this weekend, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to much of a country hit in recent weeks by a deadly heatwave and historic flooding. The typhoon was...
Tornado Confirmed in Eastern Alabama
Jul 26 2018 // The National Weather Service says a tornado toppled trees and damaged homes in Opelika in eastern Alabama. Al.com reports it was an EF-0 tornado with winds of 85 miles per hour that touched down on Saturday evening. No...
Global H1 Insured Natural Disaster Losses 40% Lower than 10-Year Average: Aon
Jul 26 2018 // Global insured losses from natural disasters for the first half were preliminarily estimated at US$21 billion, which is 40 percent lower than the 10-year average of US$35 billion and 19 percent lower than the 18-year...
Extreme Weather in Europe and Asia Sparks Wildfires, Floods
Jul 26 2018 // Extreme weather that’s gripping northern Europe and parts of Asia may persist through early August, prolonging a deadly heatwave that’s parched crops and sparked devastating forest fires. Temperatures have...
California Governor Taking PG&E Closer to Fire Law Changes
Jul 25 2018 // California utility giants PG&E Corp. and Edison International are one step closer to changing a state law that has exposed them to billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities. Late Tuesday, California Gov. Jerry Brown...
Flood Model Development Helps Hiscox Re & ILS Enter U.S. Flood Protection Market
Jul 25 2018 // Less than 12 percent of U.S. homeowners have a flood insurance policy, despite the fact that flooding is the country’s most common natural disaster, said Katy Sivyer, underwriter for North America and the Caribbean...
Wildfires Burn in Texas as High Heat, Low Humidity Persist
Jul 24 2018 // Triple digit temperatures, low humidity and extreme drought conditions across much of Texas have firefighters battling wildfires and residents doing their best to escape the heat. The state’s largest wildfire, the...
Tropical Storm in Vietnam Triggers Floods, Killing at Least 20 People
Jul 24 2018 // Flooding triggered by a tropical storm has killed at least 20 people and left over a dozen missing in northern Vietnam, local media reports said. Ten people drowned in floods caused by heavy rain in Yen Bai province after...
California Wildfire Continues to Grow Near Yosemite
Jul 24 2018 // California firefighters worked in worsening heat Monday to contain a forest fire outside Yosemite National Park. The Ferguson Fire had scorched nearly 53 square miles of timber and brush in the Sierra Nevada west of...
Sweden Wildfires Destroy More Than $100M Worth of Forested Land
Jul 24 2018 // Swedish authorities said the risk of fires spreading across the country will hit “extreme” levels this week as emergency services battle dozens of blazes that have already destroyed more than $100 million worth...
Greek Wildfires Claim at Least 74 Lives in Worst Blazes Since 2007
Jul 24 2018 // Greek firefighters say that at least 74 people were killed in wildfires in the country’s Attica region, which includes Athens, as a summer heatwave has increased the risk of blazes across Europe. The fires struck two...
U.S. Flood Models Still in Infancy, So Underwriters Must Be ‘Cautious Consumers’
Jul 24 2018 // The market for privately written inland flood insurance in the United States is growing rapidly, but flood modeling is still in its infancy. As a result, underwriters need to be aware of the differences that exist among...
2 Tornadoes Knock Out Power for 20K People in Kentucky
Jul 24 2018 // The National Weather Service has confirmed two tornadoes during severe storms in Kentucky that toppled trees and power lines. The weather service in Louisville says storms on Friday produced an EF-1 tornado in Hart County...
