Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
With Inadequate Natural Catastrophe Prices, Swiss Re Gives Florida a Wide Berth
May 6 2022 // Premium rates for natural catastrophe risks in Florida continue to be inadequate, which is why Swiss Re is giving that market a wide berth — for the time being, at least. “Historically we believe the Florida...
Woman Whose Son Was Killed in Illinois Tornado Criticizes Amazon
May 5 2022 // The mother of a man who was killed in December when a tornado slammed into an Amazon facility in Illinois said on Tuesday that her son was only in the building because he was called into work on his day off. “It...
Disaster Declared in New Mexico Wildfire Zone
May 5 2022 // Firefighters slowed the advance of the largest wildfire in the U.S. as heavy winds relented Wednesday, while President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration that brings new financial resources to remote stretches of...
Insurance Technology: InsuredMine Integrates With HawkSoft; Betterview Adds RedZone’s Wildfire Data; CyberCube to Create Cyber Tool for Majesco
May 4 2022 // InsuredMine and HawkSoft Integrate Agency Sales and Management Insurance agency sales automation software firm InsuredMine and agency management technology firm HawkSoft have released two-way API integration between their...
Social Media Valuable Tool for Forecasters, Residents in Path of Tornadoes
May 4 2022 // In the 11 years since a devastating tornado outbreak struck Tuscaloosa, Alabama, social media has evolved into a lifesaving tool during periods of severe weather, said Richard Scott, the chief meteorologist for...
Report Forecasts ‘Above-Normal’ U.S. Wildfire Season, Worse in Drought-Plagued West
May 4 2022 // The U.S. has in store an “above-normal” wildfire season if a prediction out on Wednesday from fire weather experts holds true ā “intense” may be a better word for the expectations in Western...
2 Tornados Spotted in NE Illinois; Minimal Damage Reported
May 3 2022 // At least two twisters reportedly touched down briefly as part of a storm system that rolled across northeastern Illinois. One EF-0 tornado snapped tree branches and uprooted some trees as it traveled about two miles (3.2...
Kansas Tornado Generated 165 MPH Winds; Over 1,000 Buildings Damaged
May 2 2022 // The tornado that damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long. The National Weather Service said the tornado that...
Electric Utilities in Pacific Northwest Spending Millions to Lower Wildfire Risk
May 2 2022 // Private electric utilities in the Pacific Northwest are planning tens of millions of dollars in upgrades to reduce the risk that their power lines could spark wildfires during extreme weather. Utilities such as Pacific...
Tornado Rips Through Kansas; 3 Meteorology Students Killed in Crash
May 2 2022 // A tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes and buildings, injured several people and left more than 15,000 people without power, officials said Saturday. In addition to wreckage...
Historic Black Town in Carolina One Hurricane Away from Disaster
May 2 2022 // As she exits her hometown’s only restaurant clutching an order of cabbage and hush puppies, Carolyn Suggs Bandy pauses to boast about a place that stakes its claim as the oldest town chartered by Black Americans...
Progress Made in Containing Nebraska Wildfire
Apr 29 2022 // Progress has been made toward fully containing a deadly southwestern Nebraska wildfire that has been burning since last week, officials said. Crews had 88% of the Road 702 Fire contained behind fire breaks by Thursday...
North Carolina AG Sues Contractor for Deceptive AOB Work after Hurricane
Apr 29 2022 // North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has filed suit against an Illinois contractor who came to the state after Hurricane Florence in 2018, convincing homeowners to assign insurance benefits to his companies. Dennis...
Amazon Urged to Review Emergency Plans in Wake of Deadly Tornado
Apr 28 2022 // Amazon.com Inc. should better prepare workers for extreme weather events, according to federal regulators who investigated a deadly tornado strike on a company warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois. The storm ripped through...
Progress Made on Nebraska Wildfires, But High Winds Threaten Efforts
Apr 28 2022 // Fire crews took advantage of a break in the weather in their battle to contain large fires in the West and Plains states, but fear the return of stronger winds Tuesday could spread the flames further. A southwestern...
Kentucky Tornado Survivors Rebuilding With Help of Others
Apr 25 2022 // Sundays at the Bullock home in rural Kentucky were once filled with lasting memories: big family dinners, cornhole, basketball and karaoke. Those gatherings ended the night of Dec. 10, when a massive tornado obliterated...
1 Dead, At Least 3 Hurt in Nebraska Wildfires
Apr 25 2022 // Wind-driven wildfires sweeping through parts of Nebraska contributed to the death of one person and injured at least three firefighters, authorities said Sunday. The person who died was in Red Willow County, in the...
Emergency Declaration for Multiple New Mexico Wildfires
Apr 25 2022 // New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed emergency declarations as 20 wildfires continued to burn Sunday in nearly half of the state’s drought-stricken 33 counties. One wildfire in northern New Mexico that...
Insurer Travelers’ Profit Beats on Lower Catastrophe Losses
Apr 19 2022 // Property and casualty insurer Travelers Companies Inc. reported a 48% jump in quarterly profit that beat analysts’ estimates on Tuesday, as lower catastrophe-related claims cushioned a hit from investment losses. The...
Lake Charles, Louisiana Starts Program for 2020 Hurricane Home Repairs
Apr 19 2022 // Registration has started for a new program to help low- and moderate-income Lake Charles residents fix 2020 hurricane damage to their homes, and Mayor Nic Hunter says he expects it to fill up fast. “We’ve...
