Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Hurricane Iselle Makes Beeline for Hawaii
Aug 6 2014 // Hurricane Iselle, which has been tracking toward Hawaii since last week, is projected to make landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii Thursday night local time, according the catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide. Iselle...
Home Depot Sued Over Joplin, Missouri, Tornado Deaths
Aug 6 2014 // A woman whose husband and two children were among eight people killed while taking cover in a Home Depot during the 2011 Joplin, Mo., tornado contends in a wrongful death lawsuit that the building was negligently...
State Auto: Net Income Down, Written Premium Up for Q2 1014
Aug 5 2014 // State Auto Financial Corp. reported net income for the second quarter 2014 that was nearly 50 percent less than its net income for the same period in 2012, while net written premium increased in Q2 2014 compared with Q2...
North Dakota State Fire and Tornado Fund Waives Premiums
Aug 5 2014 // The North Dakota State Fire and Tornado Fund (F&T) for the first time in its history will waive insurance premiums for its policyholders, the state insurance department announced “The State Fire and Tornado Fund...
Wildfires Burn Structures, Threaten Homes In California, Oregon, Washington
Aug 5 2014 // Two wildfires that burned or threatened hundreds of homes in Northern California were bearing down on a small town as they plowed through more than 100 square miles of drought-stricken brush, and Tuesday brought a chance...
Shallow M6.1 Earthquake Causes Severe Damage in China: AIR Analysis
Aug 5 2014 // According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide the Mw6.1 earthquake that struck south-central China’s Yunnan Province “was the strongest to strike the area in 14 years. The epicenter was near the township...
NYC Mayor: Be Prepared for Peak Hurricane Season
Aug 4 2014 // New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging New Yorkers to prepare for peak hurricane season. Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean begins June 1 but New York City is most vulnerable from August to October. De Blasio...
Hurricane Bertha to Pass by East Coast But Not Make Landfall: AIR
Aug 4 2014 // Bertha, which became the second hurricane of the 2014 Atlantic season today, made its way through the Caribbean as a weak and disorganized tropical storm this past weekend. Bertha is heading north and is expected to pass...
Insurance Industry Hurricane Tour of Texas Coast to Begin Aug. 18
Aug 4 2014 // The insurance industry wants Texas coastal residents to know about hurricane preparedness and insurance coverage for future hurricanes. The information is offered by a contingent of catastrophic weather experts recruited...
Wildfires Prompt California Governor to Declare State of Emergency
Aug 4 2014 // A pair of wildfires burning without restraint about 8 miles apart in northeast California became the focus of state and federal firefighters Sunday as authorities reported that one of the blazes had destroyed eight homes...
Tennessee Tornado Victim Had Stolen Goods in Home: Police
Aug 4 2014 // When neighbors in Kingsport, Tennessee went to help a man whose home bore the brunt of a tornado, they made a discovery police say couldn’t have been caused by the wind. Police spokesman Thomas Patton told WBIR-TV in...
Strong Earthquake Kills at least 34 in Southern China
Aug 4 2014 // A strong earthquake in southern China’s Yunnan province toppled houses on Sunday, killing dozens of people and injuring more than 100, officials and state media reported. Yunnan’s seismological bureau said 24...
Forecasters Reaffirm Below-Average Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook
Aug 4 2014 // Colorado State University (CSU) researchers continue to predict a below-average hurricane season for the Atlantic basin in 2014, citing exceptionally unfavorable hurricane formation conditions in the tropical Atlantic...
ICAT Launches a New California Homeowners Earthquake Product
Aug 4 2014 // BOULDER, CO – (August 4, 2014) – ICAT, a leading provider of property insurance to businesses and residences in hurricane and earthquake exposed regions of the United States, is pleased to announce the launch of its...
Observations on TRIA
Aug 4 2014 // U.S. insurance markets, like the rest of the nation, were caught off guard by the Sept.11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Loss of life and property led to an estimated $32.5 billion dollars in insured losses – $43 billion in...
Hurricane Arthur’s Insured Losses Below $250M: RMS
Aug 4 2014 // Insured losses from Hurricane Arthur will not exceed $250 million from wind and coastal flooding, catastrophe risk modeling firm RMS said. According to RMS, the expected loss covers damages to: Residential, commercial,...
AP Finds That Wildfire Citations in California Applied Unevenly
Aug 4 2014 // A review by The Associated Press of California government data has found a wide discrepancy in how state and local fire officials apply fines and citations for failing to clear vegetation in areas prone to wildland...
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Flood Claims Process After Sandy
Jul 30 2014 // A U.S. Senate committee today conducted a hearing titled “The Flood Insurance Claims Process in Communities After Sandy: Lessons Learned and Potential Improvements,” where lawmakers had a chance to listen to...
Cleanup Continues After Tornado in Revere, Massachusetts
Jul 30 2014 // Some residents in the coastal city of Revere, Massachusetts, remained out of their damaged homes while others continued cleaning up Tuesday after a rare tornado that struck just north of Boston. Monday’s storm hit...
Florida 1.3% Hurricane Tax to End in January
Jul 30 2014 // Florida regulators announced they are ending a 1.3 percent assessment on property insurance premiums 18 months ahead of schedule. The monies had been used to pay off bonds issued by the state’s hurricane catastrophe...
