Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
CSU Hurricane Season Forecast Adjusted to ‘Slightly’ Above Normal
Jul 11 2025 // The team of hurricane researchers at Colorado State University shaved off a storm from its original Atlantic hurricane season forecast, and now sees a “slightly” above normal season. High levels of observed...
Containment Increases on California Wildfire That Forced Evacuations
Jul 8 2025 // Firefighters are making progress on the biggest wildfire in California this year. Containment has increased on the Madre Fire to 35%. The wildfire on the central coast of California has burned 80,603 acres, prompting...
Viewpoint: State Farm’s Wildfire Claims Response Is a Test of Trust and Preparedness
Jul 8 2025 // State Farm has long positioned itself as the dependable “good neighbor” ready to help when disaster strikes. Through carefully crafted advertising, the company promotes a sense of comfort, security, and...
Wildfire Smoke Brings a Forgotten Danger to the Arctic: Black Carbon
Jul 8 2025 // In 2023, the Canada wildfires that incinerated more than 17 million hectares (42 million acres) of boreal forest were so hot they melted the paint on approaching fire trucks and smoldered underground all winter. That heat...
California Wildfire Grows to Nearly 80,000 Acres, Forcing Evacuations
Jul 7 2025 // A wildfire on the central coast of California has grown to 84,080 acres, prompting evacuation orders and closing part of a highway. The Madre Fire, the biggest the state has seen this year, started on Wednesday and is...
Verisk: Q1 Claims Volume Hits 5-Year Low but Severity Up on Wildfire Losses
Jul 7 2025 // The first three months of 2025 brought devastating wildfires to California, significant wind and hail events to Texas, and substantial increases in tornado activity to “Tornado Alley,” but claim volume...
Wildfire Experience Inspires New Contents Claims Insurtech
Jul 7 2025 // When Michael Balarezo emerged from the basement office of his Boulder, Colorado, home in December 2021, smoke plumes from the nearby Marshall Fire were visible from his driveway. Balarezo, his wife, and daughter swiftly...
Wildfire Season Preview: Rest of 2025 Is High-Risk, May Follow LA Wildfires Paradigm
Jul 7 2025 // Following the “paradigm-shifting” Los Angeles wildfires in January, the 2024-2025 wildfire season will be remembered as a turning point for the insurance industry, and a warning that “wildfire is no...
NOAA Delays Cutoff of Key Satellite Data for Hurricane Forecasting
Jul 2 2025 // The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday it is delaying by one month the planned cutoff of satellite data that helps forecasters track hurricanes. Meteorologists and scientists warned of severe...
Containment Grows on Southern California Wildfire As Evacuation Orders Lifted
Jun 30 2025 // Firefighters made quick progress battling a wildfire in Southern California, which is now 25% contained after burning 485 acres in San Bernardino County and prompting evacuations. The Lake Fire erupted Saturday afternoon...
Wall Street Backs LA Wildfire Lawsuits, Chasing Billions
Jun 30 2025 // The Los Angeles wildfires have generated potentially thousands of new clients for lawyers and prospects for billions in fees. Wall Street wants in on the action, too. The chance at a piece of strong returns has encouraged...
Hedge Fund Strategy Built on Catastrophes Taps a Hot New Trend – Parametrics
Jun 30 2025 // One of the most successful hedge fund strategies of recent years — insurance-linked securities — is latching on to an old idea whose popularity is suddenly soaring. Parametric insurance, where policyholders get quick...
As Hurricane Season Picks Up, Key Forecasting Tool Access Set to End
Jun 30 2025 // US National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters accurately predicted Hurricane Erick would explode in intensity as it hit Mexico’s Pacific coastline. Now, key tools that helped inform that outlook will go away by the...
Two More Insurers Enter Florida Market as Hurricane Season Warms Up
Jun 30 2025 // Two more property insurers have put their toes in the Florida market this summer, bringing to 14 the number of new carriers in the state since 2023. It’s another sign that legislative discouragement of claims...
Oregon Legislature Repeals Contested Wildfire Hazard Map
Jun 27 2025 // Oregon lawmakers have voted to repeal the state’s contentious wildfire hazard map, which subjected homeowners in certain areas at high risk of wildfires to stricter building codes and requirements to reduce...
Heat Wave Threatens Power Output and Wildfires Across Europe
Jun 26 2025 // Europe’s heat wave is intensifying, fueling wildfires across the Mediterranean and threatening to curb electricity generation from both nuclear and hydropower plants. Temperatures in Spain are forecast to hit 39C...
HEMIC to Act as a Servicing Facility for Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund
Jun 26 2025 // HEMIC Insurance Managers is accepting apartment and condominium owner associations (AOAO) applications for hurricane coverage from Hawaii licensed insurance agents. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced...
First Tropical Storm of 2025 Season Weakens in Atlantic
Jun 25 2025 // Tropical Storm Andrea, the first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was forecast to dissipate by Wednesday after forming at sea Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said. The tropical storm was far from...
Wildfire Alerts Issued Across Mediterranean as Heat Wave Builds
Jun 25 2025 // Wildfire warnings were issued across the Mediterranean, as temperatures soar to 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, Italy, and Greece. Italian authorities are already tackling a blaze near the town of Bernalda in Basilicata...
Firefighters Battle Major Wildfire on Greek Island of Chios, With Evacuations Ordered
Jun 24 2025 // Greek authorities sent new evacuation notifications for two areas near the main town of the eastern Aegean island of Chios Monday morning, as firefighters struggled to control a major wildfire raging on the town’s...
