Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Catlin Hit by $201 Million Net Loss for 1st 6 Months
Aug 4 2011 // The Bermuda-based Catlin Group Limited announced its financial results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2011 from its London office, highlighted by a $201 million net loss for the period, compared to an $86 million...
CCRIF Builds Regional Capacity for Storm Impact Forecasting
Aug 4 2011 // The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) has been gearing up to face the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season by “providing assistance to Caribbean nations to prepare for the tropical cyclones that are...
HCC Insurance Holdings Reports Strong Results in Q2 2011
Aug 4 2011 // Houston-based HCC Insurance Holdings Inc. reported that despite widespread catastrophe losses internationally and domestically during the second quarter of 2011 the company’s financial results for both the second...
California Earthquake Authority Bond Issue a ‘First Step’
Aug 3 2011 // Officials with the California Earthquake Authority said yesterday that their recent $150-million bond issue is just a first step in diversifying their risk so that they can expand earthquake coverage in the...
Tropical Storm Emily Heading for Puerto Rico, Hispaniola
Aug 3 2011 // Tropical Storm Emily was expected to bring heavy rain Tuesday to Puerto Rico after crossing the northeast Caribbean Sea on a track that would take it near Haiti within 24 hours. The storm was expected to bring up to 4...
Insurer Group Taking Hurricane Tour of Texas
Aug 2 2011 // The Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) will take its message of preparing for a hurricane down the Texas coast for its annual media tour in late August. The ICT team will consist of company personnel, insurance agents,...
Alabama Study: Small Changes Could Prevent Twister Damage
Aug 2 2011 // A new study of tornado destruction in Tuscaloosa found that relatively minor changes in construction — including better shingles, more anchors and thicker vinyl siding — could have prevented much of the damage to...
Hurricane Recovery Jobs Remain in Louisiana as Funding Drops
Aug 1 2011 // Louisiana is winding down its hurricane recovery programs, but Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration hasn’t cut much of the staff assigned to the work, even as other agencies across state government have faced...
Allstate Reports High Catastrophe Losses, Increased Revenues for Q2
Aug 1 2011 // Allstate Corp. reported improved underlying profitability across all business lines for the second quarter quarter, but those gains were more than offset by $2.3 billion in record second quarter catastrophe...
Waffle House Serves Up Lessons in Risk Management
Aug 1 2011 // What can Waffle House teach about disaster preparedness and risk management, especially in the wake of this spring’s devastating tornadoes? Plenty, says a supply chain expert at Olin Business School, Washington...
Tropical Storm Don Expected to Hit South Texas Coast Overnight
Jul 29 2011 // A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Texas coast from Matagorda Island to the mouth of the Rio Grande River. The National Hurricane Center expects Tropical Storm Don to make landfall on the south Texas coast...
PartnerRe Comments on Financial Impact of Q2 Losses
Jul 28 2011 // Bermuda-based PartnerRe Ltd. has provided information on the net impact of catastrophe-related large losses affecting second quarter 2011 results. Significant losses, related to the tornadoes that struck the U.S. in April...
Forecasts for 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season Largely Unchanged
Jul 28 2011 // Forecasters at Weather Services International stuck with their earlier prediction that the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season would bring 15 tropical storms, with eight of those growing into hurricanes. Four of those were...
Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Texas Coast
Jul 28 2011 // The National Hurricane Center has issued tropical storm warnings and watches for areas along the Texas coast after the formation of Tropical Storm Don just north of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. As of 10 a.m. on July...
Aon Benfield Guide: All You Need to Know on Volcanoes, Landslides, Tsunamis
Jul 26 2011 // The Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Centre has launched an introductory guide -“Getting to Grips with Non-Modelled Perils” – on volcanoes, landslides and tsunamis, which highlights the important characteristics...
AIR Expands Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclone Models to Central America
Jul 25 2011 // Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide announced the release of its Central America tropical cyclone model. “The new model covers Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and...
Huge Bomb Blast Hits Oslo; Terrorists Suspected
Jul 22 2011 // A powerful explosion caused extensive damage to government buildings in the Norwegian capital Oslo. At least two people have reportedly been killed by the blast and 15 have been injured. Rescue teams, hampered by fires,...
Catastrophes Take Toll on EMC Insurance Group’s Q2 Results
Jul 22 2011 // EMC Insurance Group Inc., based in Des Moines, Iowa, announced that second quarter 2011 operating results will be negatively impacted by a record amount of catastrophe losses. It expects to report a second quarter 2011...
Moody’s Affirms California Earthquake Authority Bonds
Jul 22 2011 // Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed the A3 rating on the California Earthquake Authority’s (“CEA”) 6.169% fixed rate Series 2006-B revenue bonds (mature July 20, 2016) and changed the rating...
Texas Gov. Signs Windstorm Bill, Measure Affecting Surplus Lines
Jul 21 2011 // Legislative measures passed during the special session of the 82nd Legislature that impact the insurance industry in Texas have been signed by the governor. On July 19, Gov. Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill...
