Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Caribbean Islands Brace for Another Hurricane; Ivan Now a Category 4 Storm
Sep 6 2004 // Predictions of a “busy” hurricane season are proving all too true. While Frances is still churning the waters of the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida panhandle, Ivan continues to gather strength off the coast of...
OOF! Frances Hits Florida; Damages Widespread, But Less Than Feared
Sep 6 2004 // Hurricane Frances finally came ashore late Saturday night, after what seemed like an interminable waiting period for most Floridians, especially those on the East Coast. The giant storm packed hurricane force winds as far...
Dual Hurricanes Will Challenge Claims Handling Process
Sep 3 2004 // The historic one-two punch of Hurricanes Frances and Charley will make the claims handling process in Florida more difficult, but still manageable, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) The I.I.I....
A.M. Best Comments on Potential Rating Implications from Hurricane Frances
Sep 3 2004 // A.M. Best Co. has recently taken rating actions on several Florida insurance companies in response to their reduced risk-adjusted capitalization due to losses from Hurricane Charley, as well as potential exposure to...
RMS Estimates Potential Losses Ranging from $2 to $20 Billion for Hurricane Frances
Sep 3 2004 // Risk Management Solutions (RMS) has announced that potential insured losses could range from $2 to $20 billion based on the latest forecasts for Hurricane Frances. Uncertainty in the storm’s track and intensity...
Survey Finds Personal Finance Concerns Outweigh Fears of Terrorism; Mistrust of Insurers
Sep 2 2004 // Euro RSCG Worldwide, a leading integrated marketing communications agency, has released the results of an online survey of more than 13,000 respondents in six countries, which found that more people consistently fret about...
NHC Issues Hurricane Watch as Frances’ Threat to Florida Grows
Sep 2 2004 // The latest bulletin from the National Hurricane Center in Miami confirms that a “Hurricane Watch remains in effect for the Florida East Coast from Florida City Northward to Flagler Beach, including Lake...
Progressive Offers Tips to Keep Drivers and Vehicles Safe as Hurricane Frances Approaches
Sep 2 2004 // After Charley’s passage the Progressive Group of insurance companies, the third largest auto insurer in the U.S. and insurer of about one in 10 Florida drivers, has had a lot of experience with storm related...
Floridians: Prepare for Different Scenarios from Hurricane Frances
Sep 2 2004 // Hurricane Frances will likely affect the state of Florida in a variety of ways. While some areas will see high wind, others might be deluged with rain, while still more could have a mix of both. The Institute for Business...
A.M. Best Places Allstate Floridian Under Review
Sep 2 2004 // A.M. Best Co. placed the financial strength rating of “A-” (Excellent) of Allstate Floridian Group under review with negative implications. All companies listed are affiliates of The Allstate Corporation and...
St. Paul Travelers Mobilizes Catastrophe Team in Florida
Sep 2 2004 // St. Paul Travelers and its subsidiary First Floridian have mobilized their Catastrophe Response Team to assist policyholders who may be affected by Hurricane Frances. Because of the company’s response to Hurricane...
Allstate Estimates Charley Losses at $425 Million
Sep 1 2004 // The Allstate Corporation, the second largest U.S. writer of homeowners’ policies, announced that its pre-tax catastrophe losses related to Hurricane Charley are preliminarily estimated to be approximately $425...
Frances Now a Category 4 Hurricane; Aims Directly at East Coast of Florida
Sep 1 2004 // Hurricane Frances has strengthened substantially as it continues on a northwestern path over the open waters of the Northern Caribbean. Maximum sustained winds remain near 140 mph (220 km/hr) with higher gusts, making the...
Protecting People First Foundation to Study Impact Resistant Glass in Florida
Sep 1 2004 // The Protecting People First Foundation announced it is returning to Southwest Florida to continue an on-site study to document the contribution of impact resistant glass, safety film, hurricane shutters and other...
Texas Insurance Industry Could Face Cash Crunch if Major Hurricane Hit
Sep 1 2004 // The Texas insurance industry could find itself in a cash crunch if a storm like Hurricane Charley hit the coast, and insurers could be forced to pass on the costs to homeowners across the state, industry officials...
UPDATE: Category 3 Hurricane Frances Still Heading towards U.S.
Aug 31 2004 // The National Hurricane Center’s latest bulletin on Hurricane Frances, issued this morning, confirmed that the storm is a category 3 hurricane, packing winds near 125 mph (205 km/hr.) with higher gusts. The NHC said...
3 More Midwest Insurers Issue Charley Loss Estimates
Aug 31 2004 // Three more insurers issued their loss estimates related to Hurricane Charley, which hit the Southeastern United States three weeks ago. Springfield, Ill.-based insurer Horace Mann Educators Corp. estimates its financial...
The Hartford Estimates $140M in Charley Losses
Aug 31 2004 // Connecticut-based The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. announced that its losses resulting from Hurricane Charley are estimated to be $140 million (before-tax). This amount is net of applicable reinsurance sources...
Tropical Storm Hermine Heads for Northeastern U.S.
Aug 30 2004 // Although Tropical Storm Hermine is currently around 450 miles (720 kms.) off the coast of North Carolina, its projected path puts it on a course for the Northeastern U.S. by later this week. Hermine isn’t a...
Hurricane Frances Heading towards U.S.
Aug 30 2004 // The National Hurricane Center in Miami is currently tracking Frances, another powerful storm, which could strike the U.S. mainland by the end of the week. Frances is packing sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) with...
