Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Newbridge Writes Political Violence, Terrorism Risks via Castel MGA Platform
Jun 24 2015 // Newbridge Risk Partners has launched operations on Castel Underwriting Agencies MGA formation platform, targeting political violence and terrorism risks in emerging markets. The new underwriting cell will be focused on the...
Cat Modeling in a New, More Open Phase: Aon Benfield/Impact Forecasting
Jun 23 2015 // Over 30 years ago, Karen Clark produced the first catastrophe model – for hurricanes. Since then the use of these valuable tools has changed the face of the re/insurance industry. They are indispensable for the...
Allstate Estimates May Catastrophe Losses at $178M
Jun 19 2015 // The Allstate Corp. has estimated its catastrophe losses in the U.S. for the month of May 2015 of $178 million before tax from eight events. Four severe weather events accounted for over 77 percent of the estimated...
Remnants of Tropical Storm Bill Headed for the Midwest
Jun 18 2015 // Tropical Storm Bill wrung out almost 12 inches of rain over parts of eastern Texas, was downgraded to a depression and then handed off from the National Hurricane Center to the Weather Prediction Center. That doesn’t...
Tropical Storm Bill Makes Landfall in Texas with 60 MPH Winds
Jun 16 2015 // Tropical Storm Bill came ashore on the Texas mainland this morning near Seadrift, packing heavy rains that will drop as much as 10 inches along the coast. Bill’s winds were 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour, up from...
Another Alaska Wildfire Prompts More Evacuations
Jun 16 2015 // Firefighters are battling a second wildfire in Alaska and officials say hundreds of homes have been evacuated and six structures have burned. The fast-moving blaze erupted Monday on the Kenai Peninsula, roughly 100 miles...
Ground Gained Large Wildfire in Northern California
Jun 15 2015 // Firefighters made progress late Sunday in battling a lightning-sparked Northern California wildfire that has been burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest for five days, officials said. Light winds helped firefighters...
Ramsey Joins Catalytic, Builds Wind Underwriting Team, Capacity
Jun 15 2015 // Specialist property catastrophe underwriting manager, Catalytic Holdings has hired industry veteran Sam Ramsey to lead its newly-formed wind underwriting business. Ramsey joins Catalytic from All-Risks Ltd. where he headed...
Windstorm Insurance Bill Stirs Lively Debate in Texas House
Jun 15 2015 // Differences of opinion on the never-ending problem of what to do about property insurance along the coast had lawmakers from coastal areas pitted against inland representatives in the waning days of the Texas legislative...
Geologists Studying Cause of Recent String of Alabama Earthquakes
Jun 15 2015 // Jim Sterling didn’t know what had hit his 156-year-old antebellum home when an earthquake struck Alabama’s old plantation region early one morning last November. Startled, he grabbed a gun and ran outdoors. In...
It’s Time for Congress to Prepare for Hurricane Season
Jun 15 2015 // Thousands of Americans have been working to prepare their homes and businesses for this year’s Atlantic hurricane season which began on June 1, so why isn’t Congress taking steps to get its own house in...
Effective Wildfire Prevention Hampered by Liability, Weather, Development
Jun 15 2015 // Forest managers would prefer to use prescribed burns every few years to help prevent costly wildfires and rebuild unhealthy ecosystems, but hurdles like staffing, budget, liability and new development hinder...
California Assembly Advances Earthquake Safety Bills
Jun 15 2015 // The California Assembly is advancing a pair of bills designed to help buildings withstand earthquakes. The legislation approved unanimously earlier this month would expand financial incentives for seismic...
Oklahoma, Texas Assessing Damage from Violent May Weather
Jun 15 2015 // Even though it meant the commencement of hurricane season, weather-beleaguered Texans are likely pleased that May 2015 has come and gone. Both Texas and Oklahoma were pelted during the month of May with all kinds of...
Natural Gas Firm Says It’s Not Causing Texas Quakes
Jun 12 2015 // A natural gas extraction company controlled by energy giant Exxon Mobil sought to prove on June 10 that it is not to blame for a recent rash of small earthquakes in North Texas, telling a powerful state agency that it...
Mayor: Many Will Leave Delmont Due to Tornado
Jun 12 2015 // Many residents of tornado-ravaged Delmont, S.D., don’t plan to come back, and the community is looking for ways to pull through. About 200 people live in the town, and “it looks like maybe half will...
CBO Confirms Private Insurers Could Take on Way More Terrorism Risk
Jun 11 2015 // I hate to say I told you so. Actually, scratch that. I love to say I told you so. I just wish it weren’t necessary in this case. Back in January, when Congress passed a six-year extension of the federal backstop for...
Wildfire Report Shows 2 Million California Homes at Risk as Drought Continues
Jun 10 2015 // A report issued today shows California has more than 2 million homes at “high” or “extreme” wildfire risk, as the multi-year drought continues stoke fears among some experts of a potentially...
Report: 4.5 Million Homes in 13 States at Extreme Wildfire Risk
Jun 10 2015 // A report issued today shows 4.5 million U.S. homes at high or extreme risk of wildfire as the multi-year drought continues. The report’s author said the worsening drought means 2015 has the potential to be one of the...
Miami Researchers Studying Hurricanes by Creating On-Demand Storms
Jun 10 2015 // Researchers trying to figure out what makes some hurricanes strengthen into catastrophic monsters have a new lab that allows them to generate tropical storm conditions with the flip of a switch. The lab is at the...
