Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Georgia Orders Property Insurers to Report Hurricane Matthew Claims Data
Nov 2 2016 // The Georgia Department of Insurance is ordering all insurers operating in the state to report claims information related to Hurricane Matthew. The storm, which began its path through Georgia starting Oct. 7, is estimated...
Colonial Pipeline Explosion in Alabama Injures 7, Causes 2 Wildfires
Nov 2 2016 // An explosion along the Colonial Pipeline in rural Alabama injured at least seven workers Monday not far from where the line burst and leaked thousands of gallons of gasoline last month, authorities said. The blast, which...
Recent Kansas Tornadoes Caused $500K in Damage, Official Says
Oct 28 2016 // An official says two tornadoes that recently touched down in eastern Saline County, Kansas, caused an estimated $500,000 in damage. The Salina Journal reports that Emergency Management Director Hannah Stambaugh told county...
AIR Worldwide Comments on Central Italy’s 2 Powerful Earthquakes
Oct 28 2016 // The two powerful earthquakes that hit central Italy on Oct. 26 are considered aftershocks of the deadly Aug. 24, M6.2 earthquake that occurred near Teramo, which about 50 miles south-southeast of the latest temblors,...
Coastal Wetlands Found to Reduce Hurricane Property Damage by 10%-30%
Oct 27 2016 // Coastal wetlands provide important natural protection during hurricanes. How much? Natural habitats reduced property damage by about $625 million in the Northeast during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a new study supported by...
FEMA Extends Filing Deadline for Florida NFIP Claims from Hurricane Hermine
Oct 27 2016 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended the deadline for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders to file claims from Hurricane Hermine. “After productive discussions between...
Upcoming Mississippi Tornado Season Looks to be ‘Unpredictable’
Oct 26 2016 // Mississippians are preparing for the tornado season to begin in November. The Clarion-Ledger reports forecasters are looking at shifts in weather conditions – such as El Nino and La Nina – as indicators that this...
AIG Increases Property Terrorism Capacity to $1B
Oct 26 2016 // American International Group, Inc. (AIG) has raised its property terrorism insurance limits globally to $1 billion. The larger capacity is available to clients on a stand-alone basis or as expanded limits within...
Foresters Say New Hampshire Drought Has Increased Threat of Wildfires
Oct 26 2016 // Drought conditions are making it harder to fight wildfires and New Hampshire residents should be vigilant about the increased threat, state forestry and fire officials say. Conditions range from abnormally dry to extreme...
1.8 Million Western U.S. Homes at Extreme or High Wildfire Risk, Report Shows
Oct 26 2016 // Things haven’t gone as bad as they could have so far in 2016 coming off last year’s record-setting wildfire season in the Western U.S., according to a report out today detailing wildfire risks to properties in...
Questions Linger Over Trump’s $17M Insurance Payout in 2005 for Florida Club
Oct 26 2016 // Donald Trump says he received a $17 million insurance payment in 2005 for hurricane damage to Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach. But The Associated Press has found little evidence of such large-scale damage. Two...
Damage to South Carolina Crops from Hurricane Matthew May Rival 2015 Flooding
Oct 24 2016 // South Carolina Department of Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers says crops in some areas of the state may have sustained as much damage from Hurricane Matthew as they did from last year’s historic flooding. The...
Willis Re and SpatialKey Partner to Launch European Windstorm App
Oct 24 2016 // Willis Re, the reinsurance division of Willis Towers Watson, has collaborated with SpatialKey Inc. to launch a new European Windstorm app. “This powerful new event response application integrates data from multiple...
Typhoon Haima Hits China as Weaker Storm; AIR Worldwide Comments
Oct 21 2016 // Typhoon Haima made landfall in China after it brushed past Hong Kong, forcing the city’s stock exchange to cancel trading for the day and airlines to suspend flights. The Hong Kong Observatory said it will consider...
Georgia Estimates $90M in Insured Losses From Hurricane Matthew
Oct 21 2016 // The Georgia Department of Insurance (GADOI) has released preliminary estimates of insured losses in the state from Hurricane Matthew. In a statement issued Thursday, GADOI said more than 30,000 claims have been reported...
Typhoon Haima Batters Philippines; Weakened Storm Heads to China
Oct 20 2016 // More than 90,000 people were evacuated after Typhoon Haima left vast areas of the Philippines flooded and without electricity as the strongest storm to hit the nation this year heads toward China. Haima, a Category 5 super...
Florida Hurricane Fund Still Strong Despite Storms
Oct 20 2016 // Florida’s streak of dodging hurricanes is over, but the state-created fund that helps private insurers pay out claims after a storm remains in strong financial shape. Anne Bert, the chief operating officer of the...
Minor Flooding Follows Downpour in Nevada Wildfire Area
Oct 19 2016 // Fears of flooding are dissipating after rainfall helped quell a wind-whipped wildfire in Northern Nevada that destroyed 22 homes and 17 other structures in the Washoe Valley north of Carson City. Sierra Front Fire...
Philippines Readies for Super Typhoon Haima – in 2nd Storm in a Week
Oct 19 2016 // The Philippines raised the storm alert for two northern provinces to its highest level as authorities moved people to safer ground, canceled work and suspended flights before Super Typhoon Haima is due to make landfall as...
Volunteers in Oregon Gather to Assess Damage from Tornado on Coast
Oct 18 2016 // Volunteers who worked to keep residents safe when a tornado ripped through a coastal Oregon town are now assessing the damage. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that no one was hurt or killed by the tornado that ripped...
