Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Coming Hurricane Season Could Complicate Gulf Oil Spill Disaster
May 18 2010 // BP’s oil spill could make for one of the highest-stakes U.S. Gulf hurricane seasons on record. Storms may scuttle clean-up efforts, force containment vessels to retreat, or propel spilled crude and tar balls over...
U.S. Being Bankrupted By Disasters, Professor Tells Federal Reserve
May 17 2010 // America is emerging from a deep recession caused by financial messes on Wall Street, but Dr. J. David Rogers says the Federal Reserve is still being bankrupted by natural disasters. “The National Flood Insurance...
Property Insurers Watching Ominous Hurricane Forecasts
May 17 2010 // After significant catastrophe losses in first quarter 2010, U.S. property/casualty insurers and global reinsurers are hoping their balance sheets don’t face further financial risks, even as conditions appear ripe for...
Beyond the Flood Zone: Storm Surge Report Shows Coastal Vulnerabilities
May 17 2010 // Homeowners can mitigate against wind damage, but they’re powerless, really, to do anything against storm surge,” said one researcher whose job it is to develop ways to determine the vulnerability of homes and...
Florida Insurers Head Into Hurricane Season with Fingers Crossed
May 14 2010 // Florida’s property insurance companies haven’t suffered hurricane losses for nearly five years, but many claim to be losing money even while collecting hefty premiums. It’s a complex paradigm for almost...
Survivors Can’t Forget Fierce Hurricane That Hit Florida in 1935
May 14 2010 // The seven elderly guests on stage at Island Christian Church were just kids 75 years ago when a Category 5 hurricane barreled into their homes in the Upper Florida Keys, leaving a trail of destruction and death. A packed...
Louisiana Sales Tax Holiday for Hurricane Supplies: May 29-30
May 13 2010 // Hurricane season is fast approaching and the state of Louisiana wants to help residents prepare. On May 29 and 30, Louisianans can get a tax break when buying emergency supplies, including self-powered light sources like...
Florida Hurricane Funds Seeks $693 Million for Reopened 2005 Claims
May 12 2010 // The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund is to begin selling $693 million in tax-exempt bonds to help repay insurers for new and reopened claims from 2005 storms. The bonds are secured in part by emergency assessments levied...
Northwest Faces Increased Wildfire Risk in 2010
May 12 2010 // El Nino weather patterns and a relatively mild winter left Idaho, eastern Washington and south central Oregon drier than normal and vulnerable to wildfire, accoridng to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In...
Tornado Shelter Legislation Killed in Oklahoma Senate
May 12 2010 // The Oklahoma Senate has killed a bill that would have required owners of mobile and RV parks to provide tenants with a plan to seek shelter. The bill’s author, State Rep. Pat Ownbey, praised a mobile home park south...
5 Thought Dead in Oklahoma, Dozens Injured as Tornadoes Hit Plains
May 12 2010 // Violent storms that tore through the southern Plains on May 10 killed five people and injured dozens more, leaving behind flattened homes, toppled semitrailers and downed power lines. Several tornadoes were reported in...
Willis Research Warns of Costly Consequences of Volcanic Eruptions
May 12 2010 // The world’s attention has been focused on the plumes of ash that continue to rise into the sky from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. The microscopic grit in the ash cloud poses an ongoing threat to...
North Carolina Wind Pool Gets Extra Protection with $305M Cat Bond
May 11 2010 // North Carolina’s insurance pool for coastal properties now has an extra financial cushion in case a major hurricane strikes. Risk specialist Guy Carpenter & Co., LLC, and GC Securities, announced the completion...
Munich Re Posts $633 Million Q1 Profit Despite Nat Cat Losses
May 10 2010 // Munich Re achieved a consolidated profit of €485 million ($633 million) in the first quarter of 2010, slightly ahead of the €437 million ($571 million) in the same period last year. The earnings bulletin...
ABI Advises Travelers After Latest Volcano Ash Cloud Disrupts Flights
May 10 2010 // Heightened eruptions from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano caused periodic closures of a number of European airports, as flights were cancelled, delayed or rerouted. Transatlantic air traffic between Europe and the...
Busy Wildfire Season Predicted for Wyoming
May 7 2010 // National fire officials say northwest Wyoming could see more wildfires this summer after a season of light snowfall. The National Interagency Fire Center said the light winter in the region means drier fuels in the summer...
Swiss Re Posts $158 Million Q1 Net Income, Despite Natural Catastrophes
May 6 2010 // Swiss Re reported net income of $158 million for the first quarter of 2010, a successful result given the “high natural catastrophe losses in the first quarter.” Swiss Re also noted that the “estimated...
Gulf Coast Oil Spill Compared to Category 5 Hurricane
May 4 2010 // What makes an oil spill really bad? Most of the ingredients for it are now blending in the Gulf of Mexico. Experts tick off the essentials: A relentless flow of oil from under the sea; a type of crude that mixes easily...
California Earthquake Fault Activity Map Shows 50 Additional Fault Lines
May 3 2010 // California geology officials have released an updated state seismic activity map that they hope will improve earthquake preparedness and construction decisions.The map, which had not been updated since 1994, includes more...
Price Scare
May 3 2010 // Seven years and running, the soft market shows few signs of loosening its grip on commercial insurance pricing, according to a new industry study. Average premiums in every line tracked by the RIMS Benchmark Survey fell in...
