Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Officials: Vehicle Malfunction Sparked Southern California Wildfire
Aug 4 2020 // A wildfire in mountains east of Los Angeles that has forced thousands of people from their homes was sparked by a malfunctioning diesel vehicle, fire officials said Monday. The vehicle spewed burning carbon from its...
Delaware Urges Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Isaias
Aug 4 2020 // As Tropical Storm Isaias approaches Delaware, residents are urged to prepare for dangerous winds of more than 55 miles per hour and up to six inches of rain. Storm surges, localized flooding, tree damage, power outages and...
Tropical Storm Isaias Kills One as Tornadoes Threaten U.S. Northeast
Aug 4 2020 // Tropical Storm Isaias pummeled Virginia on Tuesday on its way toward Washington and other cities of the U.S. Northeast, and killed at least one person after a tornado it spawned obliterated a mobile home park in North...
AIG Q2 Profit Falls on Higher Catastrophe Losses, Lower Private-Equity Returns
Aug 4 2020 // Insurer American International Group Inc. on Monday posted a 56% fall in quarterly adjusted earnings, spurred partly by higher catastrophe losses and lower private-equity returns. Adjusted after-tax income attributable to...
Isaias Regained Hurricane Strength Before Hitting Carolinas
Aug 3 2020 // HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C., Aug 3, 10:26 PM — Isaias regained hurricane strength on Monday night just hours before it was due to make landfall in the Carolinas and churn its way up the U.S. East Coast toward Washington,...
Virus-Hit Florida Lashed by Weakened Tropical Storm Isaias
Aug 3 2020 // Bands of heavy rain from Isaias lashed Florida’s east coast Sunday while officials dealing with surging cases of the coronavirus kept a close watch on the weakened tropical storm. Isaias was downgraded from a...
Thousands Evacuated in Wake of Growing Southern California Wildfire
Aug 3 2020 // Evacuation orders remained in place early Monday for thousands of people after a wildfire in mountains east of Los Angeles exploded in size and forced crews to battle flames in triple-digit heat. The Apple Fire in...
New York, Connecticut and New Jersey Boaters Urged to Prepare for Hurricane Isaisas
Aug 3 2020 // The Coast Guard on Saturday urged commercial and recreational boaters in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey to prepare for possible high surf, dangerous rip currents, heavy wind, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding from...
North Carolina Prepares for Hurricane Isaias Amid Virus Fight
Aug 3 2020 // North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency on Friday to help prepare for Hurricane Isaias, which he said will bring atypical challenges given the longstanding COVID-19 crisis. The emergency declaration,...
COVID Business Interruption Suits Top 700. Yep, That’s A Lot
Aug 3 2020 // When insurance coverage lawsuits brought by businesses seeking coverage for COVID-related interruptions surpassed the 700 mark last week, the natural question to ask was: Is that a lot? That’s exactly the question...
Update: Tropical Storm Isaias to Regain Hurricane Strength, Heads Toward Carolinas
Aug 2 2020 // Aug 3, 12:02 pm — Tropical Storm Isaias was expected to regain its hurricane strength on Monday as it moved up the U.S. East Coast, threatening a deadly storm surge before making landfall in North Carolina or South...
Hurricane Isaias On Track Towards Florida, Southeast Coast
Jul 31 2020 // Heavy rains from Hurricane Isaias could hit Florida late Friday night before the owerful storm moves up the east coast into early next week, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory. The...
Monsoon Arrival in Arizona Means End of Fire Restrictions
Jul 31 2020 // Fire restrictions within some state land are being lifted because of recent monsoon rain across the northern and southern sections of Arizona. Officials with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said...
Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake Confirmed in Los Angeles, But No Damage
Jul 31 2020 // A magnitude 4.2 earthquake shook the Los Angeles region before dawn Thursday the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed, but no significant damage was reported. The 4:29 a.m. jolt was centered in the northern San Fernando Valley...
RMS Estimate: Insured Losses from Hurricane Hanna Won’t Exceed $400M
Jul 30 2020 // Catastrophe risk products and services company, Risk Management Solutions Inc. (RMS), has estimated that insurance losses in the U.S. from Hurricane Hanna will not exceed $400 million. This estimate represents insured...
AIR Worldwide Releases Updated Caribbean Cyclone and Earthquake Models
Jul 30 2020 // Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide (AIR) announced the release of its updated Tropical Cyclone and Earthquake Models for the Caribbean. These models will provide insurers and reinsurers with a comprehensive view...
The Importance of Forensic Accounting to Future Hurricane BI Claims
Jul 30 2020 // As a licensed general contractor and a certified public accountant in South Florida who has been advising clients in accounting- and construction-related issues for the past 15 years, I have seen hurricane seasons come and...
Hawaii’s Battle is Now Complacency Following Another Hurricane Near-Miss
Jul 29 2020 // Hurricane Douglas joined a long list of hurricanes that have come near the Hawaiian Islands but didn’t cause major damage. Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said such experiences unfortunately help people become complacent...
Aon and Insurtech Skytek Collaborate to Track Marine Assets During Hurricane Season
Jul 29 2020 // With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warning 2020 will see “above-normal” hurricane activity, Skytek, in collaboration with Aon plc, has responded to the needs of marine re/insurance...
COVID-19 Surge in Texas Sparks Worry Amid Hurricane Hanna Cleanup
Jul 28 2020 // As recovery and cleanup efforts got underway on July 27 in South Texas in the wake of a downgraded Hurricane Hanna, worried residents confronted the prospect of undertaking the effort amid a surge in coronavirus cases that...
