Latest Catastrophe Headlines

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

Colorado prepares for hail, expects three to four catastrophic hailstorms

Jun 5 2006 // Colorado can expect three to four catastrophic hailstorms every year, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association. The group said the damaging hail season is considered to be from mid-April to...

Hartwig predicts profitable 2006, premium growth grinding to halt

Jun 5 2006 // The past 24 months have been traumatic for the insurance industry, but the profit picture for 2006 is quite good overall, Robert P. Hartwig, Insurance Information Institute senior vice president and chief economist said...

Hartwig Predicts Profitable 2006, Premium Growth Grinding to Halt

Jun 5 2006 // The past 24 months have been traumatic for the insurance industry, but the profit picture for 2006 is quite good overall, Robert P. Hartwig, Insurance Information Institute senior vice president and chief economist said...

Business continuity lessons from last season’s hurricanes

Jun 5 2006 // Hurricane season is here, and it is time to evaluate the lessons learned from last year’s hurricanes. It is vital to note that the degree of impact, from a corporate perspective, could have been mitigated with...

Willis Re to Collaborate with Accurate Environmental Forecasting

Jun 2 2006 // Global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings announced that it has concluded “an exclusive reinsurance intermediary relationship with Accurate Environmental Forecasting, a provider of numerical weather prediction...

Gov. Rell Orders Conn. Agencies to Organize Hurricane Training

Jun 2 2006 // Rell directs agencies to prepare for possible hurricane Received by Newsfinder from AP Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell has directed state agencies to organize training sessions and exercises to prepare for the possibility of...

Fla. Property Owners to Pay 1% Insurance Charge for Hurricanes

Jun 2 2006 // Floridians will pay a 1 percent assessment on property and casualty insurance policies for a decade to repay a bond sale of up to $1.5 billion that was approved Wednesday to replenish the state’s Hurricane Insurance...

Losses from April Hailstorms in Central Texas Reach $160M

Jun 2 2006 // The hailstorms that pounded central Texas in April were costly, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. The final tally for insured losses from storms on April 20 and 21 reached $160 million. The city of San Marcos...

Hurricane Alberto Will Be 2006’s First Named Cyclone

Jun 1 2006 // The National Hurricane Center in Miami has announced the names of hurricanes to be used during the 2006 hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Named hurricanes will be: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Nay Deen,...

Texas Watch Launches Insurer Accountability Network

Jun 1 2006 // On May 31, the eve of the 2006 hurricane season, Texas Watch, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization active on insurance issues, announced the launch of its Hurricane Insurance Company Accountability Network (ICAN) in...

Fla. Spanish-Language Website Launched to Help Hispanics Prepare for Hurricanes

Jun 1 2006 // A Spanish-language version of the Department of Financial Services’ consumer website has been launched to better serve Florida’s growing Hispanic population. “Nearly three million Hispanics call Florida...

Geller, McCarty to Collaborate on Joint National Catastrophe Plan

Jun 1 2006 // The officers of two national insurance policymaking groups have announced a collaboration to create a joint national catastrophe plan. State Senator Steven Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, and Florida Insurance Commissioner...

U.S. and Insurers Can Withstand Hurricanes Without Taxpayer Funds, Says Lloyd’s U.S.

Jun 1 2006 // Residents of the Northeast coast “ignore the hurricane threat at their peril,” a leading insurer is warning. At the same time, Wendy Baker, president of Lloyd’s America, says she is confident that the...

Class Action Suit Filed in New Orleans Against 15 Homeowners Insurers

Jun 1 2006 // A class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on May 24, 2006, on behalf of Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area homeowners insurance policyholders who have...

A.M. Best: A ‘Mega-Cat’ Hurricane Would Be Fatal to Some Insurers

Jun 1 2006 // A new Special Report from the A.M. Best Company on the impact of a possible “mega-cat” hurricane — $100 billion or more in insured losses — finds that the financial consequences would be serious and...

Colorado State University Team Predicts Fewer Hurricanes Will Make Landfall

May 31 2006 // The U.S. Atlantic basin is likely to experience another active hurricane season, but coastal regions may face fewer land-falling major hurricanes than last year, according to Prof. William Gray and the Colorado State...

R.I. Adopts Hurricane Plan

May 31 2006 // Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri has approved the state’s first hurricane plan in time for the June 1 start of the hurricane season. Under the plan, the state and other agencies will start emergency preparations 72...

Attorney General Encourages Floridians to Prepare for Hurricane Season’s Start

May 31 2006 // Crist: Prepare Yourself – Hurricane Season Starts Tomorrow Floridians have been encouraged to be prepared for hurricane season, that begins June 1, by Attorney General Charlie Crist. The attorney general cautioned...

N.C. Commissioner Gives Hurricane Preparation Tips

May 31 2006 // Spring storm season is upon us and with hurricane season beginning June 1, Insurance Commissioner Jim Long urges North Carolinians to be prepared for any storms that may come toward his state. “No matter where in...

Texans Urged to Conduct Home Inventory at Start of Hurricane Season

May 31 2006 // Recognizing the June 1 start of hurricane season, the Texas Department of Insurance issued a reminder to homeowners and renters in Texas to conduct a home inventory of their personal possessions. “After a devastating...