Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
RMS Announces New Parametric Loss Index for Japan Quake Risks
May 19 2010 // Risk Management Solutions announced the addition of Japan earthquake to its existing suite of parametric industry loss indices covering U.S. hurricane, U.S. earthquake, and Europe windstorm. RMS said: “Paradex Japan...
Lloyd’s CEO Calls for ‘Underwriting Discipline’ In Face of a ‘Tough Year’
May 19 2010 // Lloyd’s CEO Richard Ward issued a warning to insurance chiefs to prepare for a tough year ahead with the fall-out from large scale catastrophes, such as the Chilean earthquake and Transocean oil spill, likely to be...
Chartis Expands Hurricane Services to Cape Cod
May 19 2010 // Chartis has expanded access of the advanced disaster preparedness and post-hurricane resources of its Private Client Group’s Hurricane Protection Unit to homeowners in the Massachusetts counties of Barnstable, Dukes...
Key Facts, Common Myths About Protecting Homes from Hurricanes
May 19 2010 // With weather forecasters calling for a worse-than-average 2010 Atlantic basin hurricane season, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is advising property owners on the most effective ways to protect their...
South Carolina Had Small Earthquake
May 18 2010 // Federal experts say a small earthquake struck near the South Carolina coast last week. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake occurred about 6 miles south southeast of Summerville shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday. It...
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...
