Latest Catastrophe Headlines

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

XL Estimates Q2 Cats to Cost $240M, Led by Alberta Wildfires

Jul 14 2016 // XL Group Plc, the insurer that expanded last year with the purchase of Catlin Group Ltd., said second-quarter catastrophe costs were probably about $240 million pretax, with wildfires in Alberta, Canada, responsible for...

Southern Colorado Wildfire Expected to Grow

Jul 13 2016 // Firefighters were expecting a wildfire burning near Coaldale to grow Wednesday in dry, windy weather but crews are working toward getting the blaze contained near the town between Canon City and Salida. However, the Hayden...

Kemper Estimates Q2 Catastrophe Losses of $52 Million

Jul 13 2016 // Kemper Corp. said that it estimates that its second quarter 2016 results will include pre-tax catastrophe losses of approximately $52 million. The company said it does not expect to recover any of these losses under its...

Storms & Earthquakes Drive Up Insured Losses in 1H 2016: Munich Re

Jul 13 2016 // Economic losses caused by natural catastrophes in the first half of 2016 totaled US$70 billion, a significant increase from the $59 billion reported for the first half of last year, according to a loss review issued by...

Chubb Estimates Q2 Cat Losses to Rise 54% from Q1 2016

Jul 13 2016 // Property and casualty insurer Chubb Ltd. estimated natural catastrophe losses for the second quarter to be about 54 percent higher than the first quarter, indicating another quarter of high losses due to natural disasters...

Non-Life Cat Bond Issuance Hits $2.8B During 1H 2016: Willis Towers Watson Report

Jul 12 2016 // Total non-life catastrophe bond market issuance for the first half of 2016 rose to $2.8 billion, according to the latest ILS market update from Willis Capital Markets & Advisory (WCMA), the investment banking business...

London Market’s Electronic Placing Platform Binds 1st Standalone Terrorism Risk

Jul 12 2016 // London Market Group (LMG) announce that the first standalone terrorism risk was bound on PPL – the London Market’s electronic placing platform – within the first hour of trading yesterday morning. The broker was...

Twister Causes Widespread Damage in Kansas Town

Jul 11 2016 // A tornado ripped through southeast Kansas late on July 7, causing widespread damage in a small town, though no injuries have been reported. The National Weather Service confirmed that at about 10 p.m. Thursday, the tornado...

Alaska Asking for Input on Updated Tsunami Guidelines

Jul 11 2016 // The University of Alaska Fairbanks and the state officials are seeking public input on new guidelines for how coastal communities should respond to tsunamis. The Kodiak Daily Mirror reported that new modeling shows the...

London Market’s Electronic Placing Platform Begins Trading Terrorism Risks

Jul 11 2016 // London Market Group (LMG) announced that PPL – the London Market’s electronic placing platform began trading today, with brokers and underwriters exchanging information on standalone terrorism risks, the first...

With 2016 Hurricane Season Underway, Florida AOB Storm Mounting

Jul 11 2016 // As hurricane season rolls on in Florida, one of the best protections against storms is a strong homeowner/insurance agent relationship. Having the right policy is just the start. Agents can help homeowners protect...

How Agencies Can Prepare Before the Storm

Jul 11 2016 // Whether it’s an earthquake on the West Coast, a hurricane on the East Coast, tornadoes and floods in the Midwest, or an act of terrorism, all businesses have the potential of being faced with a disaster that can...

Coastal Insurer UPC’s First Catastrophe Bond Provides It with $100M Cover

Jul 8 2016 // Swiss Re Capital Markets said it has structured and placed $100 million of insurance-linked securities (ILS) that cover named storms and earthquakes affecting certain coastal states of the U.S. The bonds have been issued...

Typhoon Nepartak Lashes Taiwan, to Weaken Before Hitting China

Jul 8 2016 // Super typhoon Nepartak hit Taiwan on Friday, driving thousands of people from their homes, disrupting power supply and forcing the cancellation of more than 600 flights, emergency authorities said. Television showed images...

P/C Insurance Results for Q1 Hurt by High Catastrophe Losses, Low Investment Income

Jul 8 2016 // Driven by the highest level of first-quarter catastrophe losses since 2011, the underwriting results of the U.S. property/casualty (P/C) industry in the first quarter of 2016 deteriorated from the prior year. The industry...

Global Flood Events Rack Up $5B in Economic Costs in June: Aon Report

Jul 8 2016 // Major floods across the globe during June – topped by events in China and the U.S. – are expected to bring economic costs in excess of US$5.0 billion, according to Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield’s catastrophe...

Alberta Wildfires to Cost Insurers About $2.8B, in Canada’s Costliest Disaster

Jul 8 2016 // The wildfires that tore across the oil-producing region of Canada this year will cost insurers about C$3.58 billion ($2.8 billion) in claims, the most costly insured natural disaster in the country’s history, an...

Taiwan Readies for Typhoon Nepartak; AIR Worldwide Comments

Jul 7 2016 // Taiwan told schools and offices along its eastern coast to close early Thursday as Typhoon Nepartak threatens to unleash strong winds and heavy rain across the island through Friday. Airlines canceled or rerouted flights...

National Weather Service Confirms 3 Tornadoes in Kentucky, West Virginia

Jul 7 2016 // Three tornadoes have been confirmed in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia from recent storms, the National Weather Service said Tuesday. After sending a team Tuesday to survey damage reports from Monday’s...

Wildfire Threat in California, Southwest High in July

Jul 5 2016 // Forecasters say the threat of wildfires will remain high in Southern California and the Southwest this month because of persistent drought and because summer rains may not be as consistent as usual. The National...