Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Year of Challenges Brings Growth, Innovation and Change
Oct 19 2020 // Despite a year of challenges, uncertainty and a halting global economic recovery, the insurance industry remains strong and stable. Though below pre-COVID forecasts, major indicators point to positive rates of growth and a...
California Commissioner Asks Insurers to Cover Wildfire Losses Sans Home Inventory
Oct 19 2020 // California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is asking insurers to help wildfire survivors by providing up to 100% of personal property coverage limits without a detailed inventory to those who suffered a total loss of...
Should Upcoming California Commissioner’s Hearing on Wildfires Concern Insurers?
Oct 16 2020 // Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will convene a “virtual investigatory hearing” on Monday to initiate a series of regulatory actions that will protect residents from the increasing risk of wildfires. Several...
Study: Hurricane Irma Led to 400 Senior Deaths in Florida Nursing Homes
Oct 16 2020 // The aftereffects of 2017’s Hurricane Irma appear to have killed more than 400 senior residents of Florida nursing homes, a new university study shows. Researchers at the University of South Florida and Brown...
Texas Windstorm Insurer: Check, Money Order Payment Process Changes Start Oct. 21
Oct 16 2020 // The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) has reminded agents that it will be enhancing its current payment processes and adding new online payment options for policyholders. This web post is about changes to how...
Louisianans Warned of Contractor Fraud Following Dual Hurricanes
Oct 16 2020 // Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon and State Representative Jonathan Goudeau are warning residents affected by Hurricanes Laura and Delta that both the Louisiana Department of Insurance and Rep. Goudeau’s...
California Heat Wave Prompts Power Shutdowns, Wildfire Danger
Oct 16 2020 // More than 50,000 California utility customers were without power and others around the state were urged to conserve electricity Thursday amid a fall heat wave that brought another round of extreme wildfire danger. The...
What 3Q Catastrophe Losses Mean for U.S. P/C Results
Oct 16 2020 // Driven by an elevated frequency of events during the quarter, third quarter natural catastrophe losses for the U.S. property/casualty insurance industry will be the largest since the third quarter of 2017, according to...
Catastrophe Risk Experts Estimate Up to $3B in U.S. Insured Losses from Delta
Oct 15 2020 // Two catastrophe risk and property data providers have estimated U.S. onshore insured losses from Hurricane Delta will come in at between $0.7 billion and $3 billion. Global property information, analytics and data provider...
Northwest Windstorm Kills 1, Thousands Lose Power
Oct 15 2020 // One person died after a tree fell on them and thousands of people in western Washington were without power as high winds blew into the region Tuesday. According to Anne Nesbit with Key Peninsula Fire, a tree fell on a...
Small Earthquake Confirmed in Arizona
Oct 15 2020 // A small earthquake was confirmed about eight miles east of Flagstaff. According to the United States Geological Survey’s website, the 3.3-magnitude quake was reported at 9:08 a.m. Tuesday with the epicenter located...
Future Unsure for Many After Louisiana’s Back-to-Back Hurricanes
Oct 14 2020 // Michele Vincent’s home was largely intact in spite of hurricanes Laura and Delta. But tears streamed down her face as she looked at her church’s broken windows and shattered pews. “It’s hard to come...
AXIS Capital Estimates Q3 Pre-Tax Catastrophe Losses of $225M-$255M
Oct 14 2020 // AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. announced a preliminary pre-tax net loss estimate in the range of $225 million to $255 million ($190 million to $220 million, after-tax) for third quarter catastrophes and other events. This net...
Arch Capital Group Estimates Q3 Natural Catastrophe Losses of $190M-$210M
Oct 14 2020 // Arch Capital Group Ltd. estimates its pretax third quarter natural catastrophe losses could range from $190 million to $210 million. These catastrophe events include Hurricanes Isaias, Laura, and Sally, as well as the...
RenaissanceRe Estimates Net Negative Impact of $325M from Q3 Natural Catastrophes
Oct 14 2020 // RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. announced it estimates that natural catastrophes during the third quarter of 2020 will have a net negative impact of approximately $325 million. The estimated net negative impact is primarily...
Tropical Storm Nangka Forces Suspension of Markets in Hong Kong
Oct 13 2020 // Hong Kong scrapped trading of stocks and bonds Tuesday after tropical storm Nangka prompted authorities to shutter businesses and close schools. The move came after the Hong Kong Observatory kept its storm signal at No. 8,...
Oregon Easing Some Asbestos Rules to Speed Wildfire Cleanup
Oct 12 2020 // Oregon officials are relaxing some requirements for handling ash and debris containing asbestos to speed work in removing debris from homes and buildings destroyed by wildfires. The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission...
Team Investigating Deadly California Wildfire Seizes PG&E Equipment
Oct 12 2020 // Fire investigators looking into what caused a wildfire that killed four people in far Northern California have taken possession of equipment belonging to Pacific Gas and Electric, the utility has reported. PG&E said in...
State Takes over Houston’s Hurricane Harvey Home Repair Program
Oct 12 2020 // All Houston, Texas, resident Alice Torres has wanted in the three years since Hurricane Harvey hit was to repair her family’s flood-damaged home so her 85-year-old mother can feel safe and settled again. But when her...
Returning After Hurricane Delta, Louisiana Evacuees Face Power Outages, Extreme Heat
Oct 11 2020 // 10/11/2020 06:21 PM— Storm-weary coastal Louisiana residents who fled from the path of Hurricane Delta in recent days streamed back to their homes on Sunday to face cleanup and repairs from the second hurricane to batter...
