Latest Catastrophe Headlines

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

Colorado Wildfire Safeguards, Concerns with Alert System

Mar 1 2013 // New safeguards to prevent state-set fires from going out of control have won unanimous approval in the state Senate, and a new report is noting “serious concerns” with two mass calling systems that were used to...

Will Texas Windstorm Insurer Remain After the Legislative Session?

Feb 26 2013 // Texas’ property insurer of last resort in coastal counties may have a difficult time remaining intact during the 2013 legislative session. Claims from 2008’s Hurricane Ike still trickle in and ongoing...

Three Small Earthquakes Recorded in North-Central Arkansas

Feb 25 2013 // The U.S. Geological Survey reports three earthquakes in Arkansas – including a magnitude 3.9 quake near Trumann. No injuries or damage are reported. The USGS says the quake was recorded at 4:28 p.m. Saturday four...

Report: Sandy Was 2nd-Costliest Storm in U.S.

Feb 25 2013 // Superstorm Sandy was the deadliest hurricane in the northeastern U.S. in 40 years and the second-costliest in the nation’s history, according to a report released Feb. 12. The storm’s effects reached far and...

10 Things to Know About the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association

Feb 25 2013 // Changes to the way the state handles coastal property insurance issues are certain to be made during the 2013 Texas legislative session. Here are 10 things to know about Texas’ property insurer of last resort, the...

Small Earthquake Recorded Near Manila, Arkansas

Feb 22 2013 // U.S. Geological Survey reports a small earthquake was recorded near the Mississippi County town of Manila, Ark. The county sheriff’s office says no injuries or damage are reported. The Geological Survey says the 2.5...

Snow Closes California Highways, Yields Tornado

Feb 20 2013 // A winter storm brought driving rain to parts of California and even a rare tornado, but the severity of snowfall in much of the state caught drivers by surprise and left hundreds stranded on mountain highways. A late...

New Windstorm Rules Drive Texas Engineers Away

Feb 19 2013 // Hundreds of engineers have dropped out of a windstorm certification program following legislative changes to become certified by the Texas Department of Insurance. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that more than...

Ghost of Charlie Crist Haunts Insurance Reform

Feb 15 2013 // It has been more than two years since the adults regained control of Florida, yet the specter of the Charlie Crist days of demagoguery, populism-at-any-cost and overall political buffoonery looms heavy over the state...

No Insurance Implication for Weather Channel’s Decision to Name Winter Storms

Feb 14 2013 // The Weather Channel’s decision this winter season to start naming severe winter storms in the U.S. — such as bestowing the name “Nemo” for the massive Feb. 8-9 winter storm — most likely will...

National Hurricane Center Report: Sandy Was 2nd-Costliest Hurricane in U.S.

Feb 14 2013 // Superstorm Sandy was the deadliest hurricane in the northeastern U.S. in 40 years and the second-costliest in the nation’s history, according to a report released Tuesday, Feb. 12.Sandy damage in Ortley Beach, N.J....

Aspen Posts $2 Mn Q4 Net Income; FY $280.4 Mn; No Plans to Exit U.S. Property

Feb 13 2013 // Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited reported net income after tax of $2.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to $12.4 million in Q4 2011. After tax net income for the full year was $280.4 million,...

Florida Lawmakers Unveil Property Reform Proposals

Feb 11 2013 // Florida lawmakers’ first draft of a property reform emphasizes depopulating and diverting policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-backed property insurer that has 1.3 million policyholders. The...

Northeast Blizzard Hit Like a Hurricane

Feb 10 2013 // A blizzard packing hurricane-force winds hammered the northeastern United States on Saturday, cutting power to 700,000 homes and businesses, shutting down travel and leaving at least nine people dead. The mammoth storm...

Australia, Indonesia Floods Highlight Aon Benfield’s January Cat Report

Feb 8 2013 // In its latest monthly Global Catastrophe Recap report Impact Forecasting, the catastrophe model development center of excellence at Aon Benfield, focuses on the torrential monsoonal rains, which caused severe flooding...

Scientists: Boat On Oregon Shore Likely Tsunami Debris

Feb 7 2013 // Scientists say a 30-foot boat that washed ashore on Gleneden Beach on the central Oregon coast appears to be debris from the March 2011 Japan tsunami. Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department spokesman Rick Boatner says it is...

Argo Group Posts $4.7 Million Q4 Loss; FY Net Income $52.3 Million

Feb 7 2013 // The Bermuda-based Argo Group International Holdings announced the following highlights in its report on results for the fourth quarter of 2012: • Gross written premiums were $389.7 million, an increase of $47.9 million...

$1.2 Billion in Sandy Losses Paid, Allstate Pursuing Rate Hikes

Feb 7 2013 // Allstate Corp.’s quarterly profit fell 45 percent on losses from superstorm Sandy, but the home and auto insurer said it has paid out about 95 percent of Sandy claims and is seeing rate increases across...

Debate Over Terrorism Insurance to Be Renewed

Feb 6 2013 // Bipartisan legislation filed yesterday in the House of Representatives promises to renew the federal terrorism reinsurance program and the debate about whether the backup program is necessary. Introduced by Reps. Michael...

Earthquake, Tsunami Kills at Least 5 in Solomon Islands; Alerts Now Cancelled

Feb 6 2013 // A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake set off a tsunami that killed at least five people in a remote part of the Solomon Islands on Wednesday and triggered evacuations across the South Pacific as island nations issued...