Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Munich Re 2012 Cat Report Underscores Extreme Weather in U.S.; Sandy Losses
Jan 3 2013 // The figures for natural catastrophse that occurred in 2012 are “dominated by weather extremes in the USA,” according to a report from Munich Re. The reinsurers said the U.S. “accounted for a higher...
Texas Builds ‘Hurricane Domes’ For Double-Duty
Dec 31 2012 // Most of the time, the windowless building with the dome-shaped roof will be a typical high school gymnasium filled with cheering fans watching basketball and volleyball games. But come hurricane season, the structure that...
P/C Industry’s 9 Month Results Show Insurers Can Handle Sandy Losses: ISO, PCI
Dec 28 2012 // Before Hurricane Sandy hit, private U.S. property/casualty insurers’ net income after taxes grew to $27 billion in nine-months 2012 from $8.4 billion in nine-months 2011. Insurers’ overall profitability as...
Tornadoes Strike in Texas
Dec 26 2012 // Christmas Day along the Gulf Coast was filled with severe thunderstorms that brought drenching rains, high winds and damaging tornadoes while the nation’s midsection dealt with freezing rain, sleet and snow that made...
Texas Windstorm Insurer: Rates to Increase Jan. 1
Dec 26 2012 // Texas’ property insurer of last resort in coastal counties has issued a reminder to agents that while the maximum limits of liability for residential and commercial properties will remain the same in 2013 as they...
Officials Tracking Debris off Washington Coast
Dec 19 2012 // Federal, state and tribal officials are attempting to track a large dock that was reported drifting off the coast of Washington state, one of potentially hundreds of objects that could wash up along the West Coast from the...
Swiss Re Estimates 2012 Economic Losses at $140 Billion; $65 Billion Insured
Dec 19 2012 // According to Swiss Re’s sigma preliminary estimates, economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters will likely reach at least $140 billion in 2012, while total insured losses from natural...
10 Families Displaced by Indiana Tornado Get New Homes
Dec 18 2012 // Saturday was an emotional, yet joyful day for Danielle Guthrie, when Habitat for Humanity handed her the keys to her new house in Henryville. “When they called to approve me, I was surprised. It was amazing,”...
Biologist: Tsunami Debris Overwhelming In Spots In Alaska
Dec 17 2012 // Debris that gathered this past summer on Alaska’s Kayak Island made walking on its beaches feel like walking through a natural disaster zone, a federal biologist said Thursday. Jacek Maselko, a biologist with the...
Continued Drought, More Tornados Forecasted
Dec 17 2012 // Extreme weather events in 2013 may look much the same as this year — but different. The weather is difficult to predict, but if the weak El Niño forecast for next year holds, it brings with it the promise of continued...
XL’s Preliminary Loss Estimate for Hurricane Sandy around $350 Million
Dec 13 2012 // XL Group plc has announced that its preliminary net loss estimate related to Storm Sandy is around $350 million, pretax and net of reinsurance and reinstatement premiums. XL added that “approximately 60 percent of...
Meadowbrook Insurance Group: $5.1M Known Claims from Hurricane Sandy
Dec 12 2012 // Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc., headquartered in Southfield, Mich., reported that so far it has approximately $5.1 million of known claims resulting from Hurricane Sandy. The claims reported from Hurricane Sandy are...
Post-Sandy, Weather Service Considers Change to Hurricane Warnings
Dec 11 2012 // The National Weather Service is considering changing how it issues hurricane watches and warnings. Spokesman Chris Vaccaro said in an email last week that the weather service is considering a proposal to issue watches and...
S&P Says Reinsurers Faced Unexpected Risks from Hurricane Sandy
Dec 11 2012 // A report from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services notes that “despite uncertainties regarding final loss totals from Hurricane Sandy expects only a limited ratings impact on insurers and reinsurers exposed...
Alaskan Senator Seeks $15M For Tsunami Debris
Dec 10 2012 // An Alaska senator wants $15 million for tsunami debris clean-up included in a federal disaster relief package for West Coast states affected by Superstorm Sandy. Sen. Mark Begich says the impact of debris from the 2011...
UPDATE: 7.3 Quake off Japan; Tsunami Warnings Cancelled
Dec 7 2012 // News reports are describing an earthquake off the east coast of Japan with a magnitude, estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey, of 7.3. The quake struck approximately 245 kms (153 miles) east-southeast of Kamaishi early...
Hawaii Finds Boat That May Be Tsunami Debris
Dec 6 2012 // The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says a boat recovered from Kahana Bay on Oahu’s windward coast may be tsunami debris that arrived in Hawaii from Japan. The department said Tuesday staff collected...
Earthquake And Drilling Link Prompts Colorado Review
Dec 6 2012 // A new report says earthquakes in Colorado and elsewhere may have been caused by a drilling procedure to dispose of wastewater. In a report announced Wednesday, geophysicists say an increase in earthquakes on the Raton...
UPDATE: Death Toll from Philippine Typhoon Bopha Passes 270
Dec 6 2012 // Mud-stained bodies covered with banana leaves were laid out in a row and survivors dried their soiled belongings on the roadside under a bright sun Wednesday, a day after a typhoon killed more than 270 people [IJ Ed. note:...
$370M Settlement Reached Over Southern California Wildfires
Dec 5 2012 // An electrical contractor and tree-trimming company have agreed to pay $370 million to settle lawsuits over Southern California wildfires that swept San Diego County in 2007. U-T San Diego says PAR Electric and Davey Tree...
