Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
June Closes with Severe Storms; Tropical Storm Could Skirt East Coast July 4th
Jun 30 2014 // Forecasters are watching a potential tropical system that may skirt the U.S. East Coast this week, brushing past major Northeastern cities in time for the Fourth of July holiday. The collection of thunderstorms now about...
EF-1 Tornado Touches Down Near Indianapolis
Jun 26 2014 // A tornado-producing storm that hit central Indiana on June 24 damaged several homes in Indianapolis and its outskirts, downed power lines and uprooted trees, authorities said. It was one of several thunderstorms that...
Lawsuit: Arizona Mismanaged Deadly Wildfire
Jun 26 2014 // Dozens of property owners in central Arizona are suing the state, saying it failed miserably in its management of a wildfire that killed 19 Hotshots. The lawsuit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court seeks unspecified...
Tornado, Severe Storms Damage Homes in Ohio
Jun 26 2014 // Parts of Ohio are again cleaning up after severe storms rolled through — including a tornado that touched down in northeast Ohio. The National Weather Service confirmed a high EF1 or EF2 tornado touched down on June 23...
Louisville, Mississippi, Gets $10M Insurance Check for Tornado-Damaged Plant
Jun 25 2014 // The Norman Regional Health System in Oklahoma has donated $48,000 to the Winston County Medical Center in Louisville, Mississippi. Norman Regional Health System President and CEO David Whitaker says the company wanted to...
Tsunami Bulletin Issued Following Alaska Quake
Jun 23 2014 // A magnitude 8.0 earthquake triggered a tsunami warning for Alaska on Monday, according to a National Weather Service alert. The quake was located in the Rat Islands, which are part of the Aleutian Island chain. NWS said...
Louisiana Parish Sets Up Hurricane Re-Entry System for Businesses
Jun 23 2014 // Terrebonne Parish in Louisiana has a new emergency re-entry process for companies attempting to reopen after a mandatory hurricane evacuation. The Courier reported placards would replace company picture ID badges and would...
Minor Damage in Colorado From 4 Tornadoes
Jun 23 2014 // The National Weather Service has reported four tornadoes have been reported in northeast Colorado, but there has been no major damage. Three twisters were reported Saturday in Adams County and one in Weld County. The...
ACE Names Chen Underwriting Manager for Asia Property, Terrorism
Jun 23 2014 // ACE Group has appointed Cassie Chen as regional Property and Terrorism underwriting manager for Asia. She will be based in the Singapore regional office and will report to Jason Keen, head of Property for Asia. Chen joined...
Allstate Estimates $440M Catastrophe Losses for May
Jun 23 2014 // Allstate Corp. estimated that it had $440 million in pre-tax catastrophe losses for the month of May 2014 —or $286 million after taxes. The Northbrook, Ill.-based company said 11 events contributed to May losses, at an...
Massachusetts FAIR Plan Mulls Appeal of Commissioner’s Rate Decision
Jun 20 2014 // The Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association (“FAIR Plan”) said its board of directors will meet next week to decide whether to file an appeal to challenge Insurance Commissioner Joseph G....
JLT Capital Markets Announces Florida Cat Bond Placement
Jun 20 2014 // Jardine Lloyd Thompson Capital Markets (JLTCM) Inc., a part of JLT Towers Re, announced its second Market Re private placement cat bond (Market Re 2014 -2), which closed at $31.825 million. JLT said the “new bond...
Florida ‘Hurricane Tax’ Sent to Early Retirement
Jun 19 2014 // A1.3 percent surcharge on most property/casualty policies in Florida to help pay for past hurricane claims is coming to an end earlier than originally planned. The Florida Cabinet voted this week to end the assessment on...
Damage Assessment Begins After Twin Tornadoes Flatten Nebraska Town, Kill 2
Jun 18 2014 // A storm packing rare dual tornadoes tore through a tiny farming town in northeast Nebraska, killing two people, crumpling grain bins like discarded soda cans and flattening dozens of homes. Pilger’s 350 residents...
Wildfire Threatens Homes in New Mexico
Jun 18 2014 // Firefighters are bracing for another day of hot, dry and windy conditions as they battle a fast-moving wildfire in New Mexico. The Assayii Lake Fire blackened more than 19 square miles in less than two days while making...
Aon Benfield Securities Launches CATstream for Cedants’ Cat Bond Coverage
Jun 18 2014 // Aon Benfield Securities, the investment banking division of global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor Aon Benfield, has announced the launch of CATstream – a new client facility, which it said “offers...
Connecticut Launches New Online Tool for Catastrophe Adjuster Registration
Jun 17 2014 // The Connecticut Insurance Department announced Monday the launch of a new online program that would make it easier and quicker for insurance companies to register their emergency adjusters with the state when a damaging...
Repairs Ongoing from Early June Hailstorm in Nebraska
Jun 17 2014 // The severe thunderstorms that spawned large hail and strong winds earlier this month left a lasting mark on many Nebraska communities. Aaron Volkman tells the Norfolk Daily News it will take weeks or even months to repair...
California Wildfire Evacuations Lifted, as Containment Rises
Jun 17 2014 // Evacuation orders were lifted Monday evening after firefighters made significant progress containing 50 percent of a smoky mountain wildfire west of a lake near Bakersfield, officials said. The blaze has destroyed three...
Weather Service Confirms South Carolina Tornado
Jun 17 2014 // The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down for a mile-and-a-half in Orangeburg County earlier this week. The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg said the tornado, with winds of up to 85 mph,...
