Latest Catastrophe Headlines

All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.

USGS: Earthquakes Serious Threat in 46 States, Ups Risks in Washington, Oregon

Apr 22 2008 // Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have updated the USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps, and noted that earthquakes remain a serious threat in 46 of the United States. For some areas such as western Oregon and...

Coast Has Big Influence on Louisiana and Texas Property Markets

Apr 21 2008 // After two mild catastrophe years, states hope to share better coverage options Louisiana and Texas share a lot. Besides sharing a common border, they share the Gulf of Mexico — both its bounty and its battering, in the...

Spring Storms Hammer Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas

Apr 21 2008 // Damage estimates continue to pile up Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas have been hammered numerous times this Spring with violent storms that produced tornadoes, hail, heavy rain and floods, and the damages are...

Declarations

Apr 21 2008 // P/C Consolidation “The logic of consolidation within the property and casualty industry, particularly in North America, may be gaining favor as the economy slows and as rates soften. However, our research suggests...

San Francisco Hosts 100th Earthquake Conference, Predicts What If Scenarios

Apr 18 2008 // More than 2,500 delegates from around the world gathered in commemoration of San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake at the 100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference — the largest earthquake conference ever held —...

Typhoon Neoguri Nears China

Apr 18 2008 // Weather forecasters in China warned that Typhoon Neoguri could hit southern Hainan Island as early as this afternoon, Friday April 18. China’s meteorological observatory said Thursday that strong winds and rain will...

Lloyd’s Warns on Europe Quake Risks

Apr 18 2008 // The early morning earthquake that struck Market Rasen in Lincolnshire recently was literally a wake-up call for many people. (See IJ web site –...

Sen. Martinez Denies He’s Obstacle to Catastrophe Fund Bill

Apr 18 2008 // Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida is in a position to help move along a bill that could lower property insurance rates in disaster-prone states, but hasn’t been aggressive enough in doing so, said the two...

Earthquake Rocks Illinois; Causes Minor Damage in Several States

Apr 18 2008 // An earthquake that measured 5.2 on the Richter Scale rocked buildings in Chicago and damaged roads in Ohio and Kentucky. The quake hit Friday morning at 4:37 a.m. The epicenter was in the town of West Salem, Ill., which is...

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner: Check Policy for Earthquake Coverage

Apr 18 2008 // The earthquake that struck the Midwest today should serve as a reminder to many Mississippians that they too are at risk for earthquake damage. Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney urges all Mississippians to...

Utah To Examine Earthquake Vulnerabilities

Apr 17 2008 // A Utah advisory panel is planning on developing a priority list for assessing state buildings that might be vulnerable in an earthquake. The Utah Seismic Safety Commission plans on finding out what seismic assessments have...

Lloyd’s Braces for U.S. Hurricanes

Apr 17 2008 // Lloyd’s insurers with exposures on the US East Coast have been told to brace themselves for an above average storm season, with as many as eight hurricanes tearing through the Atlantic. In an article on its web site...

Texas Windstorm Pool Seeks to Increase Reinsurance Level for 2008

Apr 17 2008 // Citing increased exposure along the Texas coast, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association has requested Commissioner of Insurance Mike Geeslin to authorize the purchase of $1.5 billion in reinsurance for the windstorm...

Lloyd’s Analyzes Europe’s Windstorms

Apr 16 2008 // “Winter storms in Europe are like London buses,” says an article on the Lloyd’s web site (www.lloyds.com) – “You don’t see any for a while and then along come two or three, one behind...

Aon Re Forecasts ‘Favorable Pricing’ for Mid-year Property Re Renewals

Apr 16 2008 // Pricing is projected to be favorable for traditional property catastrophe reinsurance programs when insurers seek mid-year renewals, according to an analysis conducted by Aon Re Global, a unit of the Aon...

California Earthquake Authority To Use New Science in Determining Rates

Apr 16 2008 // The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) announced today it will begin using a newly released, uniform scientific method in determining insurance rates and the most accurate prices for consumers. Partially funded by the...

Tornadoes Damage Southern Iowa

Apr 15 2008 // At least two tornadoes have ripped across southern and eastern Iowa, with damage reported to a few homes and businesses. No injuries have been reported. Bill Nichols, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, says a...

Weather Service Confirms Southwest Michigan Hit by Small Tornado

Apr 11 2008 // A small tornado was to blame for damaging a barn housing some horses and knocking down trees in southwestern Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. No injuries were reported but more than 6,500 Consumers...

State of Emergency Issued for 12 Mississippi Counties after Tornadoes

Apr 11 2008 // Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency for 12 Mississippi counties Monday after a severe weather system and tornadoes hit parts of Central Mississippi, including the Jackson Metro area on April...

Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility Board Appointments

Apr 10 2008 // The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) announced the appointment of Isaac Anthony and Dr. Warren Smith to its board. They will represent the interests of CARICOM (“Caribbean Community,” a...