Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Insurance for Homes Near Hawaii Volcano Costly, If It’s Available
Aug 13 2009 // Living in Hawaii on the slope of one of the most active volcanos in the world can be expensive when it comes to homeowners insurance. Wendy Ford is losing her policy this month because her insurer, Liberty Mutual Fire...
Strong Earthquake Jolts Tokyo Area
Aug 12 2009 // The second seismic event to hit Japan in two days occurred off the central coast of the Japanese island of Honshu at 5:15 a.m. local time (20:15 UTC on Monday). Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide said the US...
Atlantic Could See Hurricane Season’s First Named Storm Today: Ana
Aug 12 2009 // The Atlantic could get its first named storm of the hurricane season later Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The basin’s second tropical depression is remaining just below tropical storm...
Texas Windstorm Pool Reports Waiver Surcharge Commission Change
Aug 11 2009 // The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) reported that HB 4409 passed by the 81st Legislature, requires several changes for TWIA policies. TWIA issued a bulletin to agents as a reminder that the first of these...
Agents, Meteorologists Gear Up for Annual Texas Hurricane Tour
Aug 10 2009 // For the fourth year in a row insurance spokesmen will team with meteorologists from the National Weather Service and independent insurance agents to warn Texas coastal residents of the potential dangers of hurricanes. This...
Texas Agency Spending Some Hurricane Recovery Money
Aug 10 2009 // A Texas agency that was questioned for not spending much of the money it received to help 2005 hurricane victims has improved but still has spent only 31 percent of the funds, a state auditor’s report found. The...
Two Typhoons Slam into Eastern Asia; Powerful Earthquake Strikes Japan
Aug 10 2009 // Typhoon Morakot wreaked havoc in Taiwan over the weekend, making landfall late on Friday in Taiwan’s Hualien County with sustained winds of 148 km/h (92 mph). “As of Friday, Morakot had generated only 100 mm (4...
Felica Weakens to Tropical Storm; Flooding Possible
Aug 10 2009 // The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Felicia, which was a hurricane headed toward Hawaii last week, to a tropical storm. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe,...
Hurricane Felicia Weakened to Category 2
Aug 7 2009 // As predicted, the National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Felicia that is headed toward Hawaii is weakening. The Center has downgraded the hurricane to a category two, and said maximum sustained winds are at 100 mph and...
New Earthquake Risk Models Likely To Reduce Insured Loss Estimates
Aug 6 2009 // Newark, Calif.-based Risk Management Solutions (RMS) has unveiled its next-generation models for North America earthquake risks, covering the United States and Alaska, Canada and Mexico. The new models are likely to lead...
Hurricane Headed for Hawaii; Typhoon Could Strike Taiwan
Aug 6 2009 // In the eastern Pacific, Hurricane Felicia is moving towards Hawaii. As of the National Hurricane Center’s 11:00 EST advisory on Thursday, Hurricane Felicia — currently at category 4 strength — is in the...
U.S., Colorado Forecasters Trim Atlantic Hurricane Forecasts Again
Aug 5 2009 // The Colorado State University storm research team cut its 2009 Atlantic hurricane season forecast Tuesday, predicting that El Nino would trim the tally to 10 tropical storms, with four becoming hurricanes. The noted...
Florida, Georgia Insurance Chiefs Renew Catastrophe Cooperation Plan
Aug 4 2009 // Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine have renewed a partnership agreement to ensure continuity of operations in the event of a catastrophe that causes significant...
New Homeowners Earthquake Rating Plan Available
Aug 3 2009 // Wheaton, Ill.-based American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) has developed a new rating plan for adding earthquake coverage to policies based on standardized forms, manual rules, and rating information provided...
2nd ‘Stanford’ Suit Targets Willis; Terrorist Bombs Kill 9 in Indonesia; Insurance Fraud on the Rise in UK; Lloyd’s ‘Fli
Aug 3 2009 // Willis has been named in a second lawsuit stemming from its relation with indicted financier Allen Stanford. A Venezuelan investor, Reinaldo Ranni, filed a class action in U.S. federal court in Miami on July 17, accusing...
The Hartford Posts Net Loss of $15M in Q2; P/C Combined Ratio at 90.4%
Jul 31 2009 // The Hartford reported a second quarter 2009 net loss of $15 million compared with second quarter 2008 net income of $543 million. Even so, Ramani Ayer, chairman and chief executive officer of The Hartford, said the insurer...
Researchers Hope to Improve Hurricane Prediction
Jul 30 2009 // They’re deceptively simple looking detectors: one an antenna with built-in GPS; the other electronic sensors inside what looks like — and in fact, is — a large, upside-down metal salad bowl. The sensors...
Texas Enacts Windstorm Insurance Reforms; Will They Be Enough?
Jul 30 2009 // During the recently completed 81st Legislative Session, the Texas legislature adopted the most significant reforms to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) since 1997 with the passage of House Bill 4409 (HB...
Travelers Earnings Fall 20% in Q2; Net Premiums Down Slightly
Jul 30 2009 // Travelers Cos. Inc. said on Thursday that second quarter earnings fell about 20 percent on lower investment income and underwriting profit. An increase in premium levels helped Travelers’ net policy sales keep pace...
Suit Targets The Hartford’s Handling of Hurricane Wilma Claims in Florida
Jul 29 2009 // A Miami lawyer has filed class action suit against The Hartford alleging the company failed to pay replacement cost on Hurricane Wilma claims to insureds who had purchased the coverage. The suit claims The Hartford refused...
