Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Fitch Sees Chile Quake Losses Unlikely to Impact P/C Insurance Ratings
Mar 5 2010 // Based on preliminary analysis, Fitch Ratings said it believes that the Chilean P/C insurance industry “will likely be able to absorb losses from the earthquake and Tsunami that hit the central-south part of Chile on...
Maritime Terrorism Could Have Global Economic Impact
Mar 5 2010 // Singapore said on Friday it had raised alert levels in the city-state and beefed up security at its airport and new casino resorts after a warning of possible attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca Strait. [See IJ web site...
AIR Updates Analysis of Damages from Chile Earthquake
Mar 4 2010 // According to catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide, a more complete picture of damages is beginning to emerge in the hardest-hit regions of Bio Bio and Maule, four days after the devastating Mw8.8 earthquake struck...
I.I.I.’s Hartwig Contrasts Impact of Chilean, Haitian Earthquakes
Mar 3 2010 // Why was he death toll over 200,000 when an earthquake struck Haiti, while so far less than 1000 people have died from the one that struck Chile, which was approximately 500 times more powerful? One of the answers lies in...
AIR Estimates Windstorm Xynthia Insured Losses at $2 to $4.1 Billion
Mar 3 2010 // Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide has estimated that insured losses in France, Belgium, Germany, and Netherlands from winter storm Xynthia will be between €1.5 billion and €3 billion [$2 to $4.1...
Windstorm Xynthia Leaves a Trail of Destruction; RMS Analysis
Mar 2 2010 // Windstorm Xynthia, which swept across Western Europe on Saturday and Sunday, [See IJ web site – https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2010/03/01/107736.htm] left a lot of damage in its wake. The storm...
Catastrophe Firms Analyze, Estimate Losses from Chilean Quake
Mar 2 2010 // Catastrophe modeling firms Air Worldwide, Risk Management Solutions and EQECAT have all released preliminary analysis and estimates of the economic and the insured losses from the devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake that...
Nevada Insurance Division Offers Earthquake Coverage Guide
Mar 2 2010 // Nevada may be the third most-active state for earthquakes after California and Alaska, but most homeowners don’t purchase earthquake insurance coverage. earthquake country, but what many people In light of Nevada...
Some Scientists Defend Tsunami Warnings
Mar 2 2010 // The warning was ominous, its predictions dire: Oceanographers issued a bulletin telling Hawaii and other Pacific islands that a killer wave was heading their way with terrifying force and that “urgent action should...
‘Great Earthquake’ Strikes Chile; 700 Dead; 2 Million Affected
Mar 1 2010 // One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck the central coast of Chile early Saturday morning, February 27. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured the magnitude at 8.8 with severe “shaking...
Earthquakes Should Prompt U.S. to Prepare Now, Says Safety Group
Mar 1 2010 // The tragedies of the recent earthquakes in Chile and Haiti serve as a reminder that parts of the United States are highly vulnerable to the devastating effects of this unpredictable natural disaster. While most Americans...
Louisiana Dedicates Nearly $20M for Hurricane Protection System
Mar 1 2010 // Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said a partnership agreement between the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the South Lafourche Levee District will dedicate $19.8 million in state surplus funds to make...
Florida Cabinet Delays Hurricane Fund Assessments
Feb 25 2010 // The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund needs $710 million to continue to pay claims still coming in from 2005’s Hurricane Wilma but it is going to have to wait to assess policyholders to get those funds. The Florida...
Texas Catastrophic Weather Losses Totaled $2.5B in 2009
Feb 25 2010 // Texas in 2009 experienced weather catastrophes amounting to more insured losses than any other state. Last year, Texas experienced 10 weather catastrophes that caused nearly $2.5 billion in losses. The next nearest state...
Louisiana: Tax, Premium Advantages Available for Retrofitting Structures
Feb 24 2010 // Louisiana residents can apply for a state tax deduction for retrofitting their homes, as well as an insurance premium discount for building or retrofitting your home to comply with the Louisiana State Uniform Construction...
Hawaii Senate Committee OKs Using Hurricane Relief Fund to End Furloughs
Feb 23 2010 // Hawaii’s Senate Ways and Means Committee has advanced a bill that would use money from the state’s Hurricane Relief Fund to end school furlough days. Senate Bill 2124notes that reductions and restrictions to...
Caribbean Cat Facility Teams with UN Commission for Nat Cat Strategies
Feb 23 2010 // The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) announced that they will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)...
Missouri Governor: State Must Be Ready for Big Quake
Feb 22 2010 // Most experts believe it’s just a matter of time before another big earthquake strikes along the New Madrid fault line, and Gov. Jay Nixon says Missouri and neighboring states need to be ready. Nixon on Feb. 19...
Idaho Home Insurance Costs Lowest in Nation
Feb 21 2010 // Idaho homeowner insurance is the least costly in the nation, averaging $422 per year, according to a nationwide survey. This compares to an average $822 countrywide. The Gem State also had among the lowest average rates...
Hawaii Could Tap Hurricane Fund to Fund School Education
Feb 21 2010 // Hawaii is closer to tapping its Hurricane Relief Fund to help balance the state budget and resolve teacher furloughs, as a legislative committee advanced a bill that would appropriate $50 million from the fund. Senate Bill...
