Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
AIR Lowers Insured Loss Estimates for Hurricane Irene in the Bahamas
Sep 16 2011 // Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide has revised its industry insured loss estimates for Hurricane Irene’s impact in the Bahamas to between $200 million and $400 million (previously $300 million to $700...
Calmer Winds to Slow Growth of Minnesota Wildfire
Sep 15 2011 // Calmer winds were expected to slow the growth of a huge wildfire that has engulfed woodland in northeastern Minnesota and blanketed cities hundreds of miles away with a smoky haze, the U.S. Forest Service said. The blaze...
Allstate Reports $500M in Losses from Hurricane Irene
Sep 15 2011 // Allstate Corp. lost $500 million on Hurricane Irene, the largest publicly traded home and auto insurer in the United States said Thursday, much less than it lost from tornadoes earlier this year. In total, Allstate said...
No Major Injuries or Damage After Alabama Earthquake
Sep 15 2011 // Authorities say no major damage or injuries were reported after an earthquake in the metro Birmingham area Tuesday evening. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the 3.0 quake was centered about two miles southwest of...
Best Affirms Lloyd’s Syndicate 510 and Kiln Group Ratings; Outlook Stable
Sep 15 2011 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of ‘a+’ of Lloyd’s Syndicate 510, which is managed...
AIR Updates European Wind, Earthquake Cat Models
Sep 15 2011 // Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide has released updates to its Extratropical Cyclone and Earthquake Models for Europe. AIR said it had “significantly expanded” both models to include additional...
Insured Losses from Texas Wildfires Could Reach $250 Million
Sep 14 2011 // An industry group says insured losses from a week of Texas wildfires could reach $250 million. The Insurance Council of Texas offered the estimate for the more than 180 wildfires reported statewide since Labor Day...
Japan Marks 6 Months Since Earthquake, Tsunami
Sep 13 2011 // Up and down Japan’s devastated northeast coast, survivors prayed and communities came together Sunday to mark six months since the massive earthquake and tsunami struck on March 11, a date that changed everything for...
Southern California Wildfires Prompt Evacuations
Sep 12 2011 // Several structures are being threatened by one of more than 50 wildfires in the Southern California area of Kern County. The fires, which were sparked by lightning strikes, are segretated in three main areas of Kern,...
President Obama Signs Disaster Aid for Texas Wildfires
Sep 12 2011 // President Barack Obama has signed a federal disaster declaration for Texas in the wake of wildfires in the state. The move allows federal funding to be made available to individuals in Bastrop County in the central part of...
String of Wildfires Takes Toll on Texas Firefighters
Sep 12 2011 // The flames of the massive wildfire that had swallowed nearly 1,400 homes in Central Texas had been tamed, but Webster Fire Chief Patrick Shipp and his crew — veterans of a fire season pushing his team to the limit —...
Americans Have False Sense of Security About Catastrophes: Survey
Sep 12 2011 // Even after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, most Americans have a false sense of security when it comes to their readiness for a natural disaster or major terrorist attack, according to researchers at Columbia University. A new...
Georgia Tornado Damage Estimated at $15M
Sep 12 2011 // Authorities estimate that a recent tornado and strong storms in north Georgia inflicted at least $15 million in damage. Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said that the damage estimate was preliminary and could grow as...
Texas Wildfires Evacuees Anxious to Return Home
Sep 11 2011 // After spending nearly a week wondering whether his home had been destroyed in massive wildfires sweeping across Central Texas, George Gaydos got the news Sept. 10: His house had burned down in the blaze. But Gaydos — who...
9/11 and Terrorism Risk 10 Years Later
Sep 9 2011 // The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks forever changed how the insurance industry views terrorism risk, says Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute. For the global insurance and reinsurance...
Why 9/11 Changed Everything
Sep 9 2011 // Prior to September 11 attacks ten years ago, the thought of terrorism didn’t loom large in our nation’s collective psyche or our business decisions; since then, however, it has become a constant factor. Just...
Swiss Re Report Estimates 2011 First 6 Months Cat Losses at $70 Billion
Sep 9 2011 // Preliminary estimates from Swiss Re’s newly released sigma report indicate that “total insured losses for the global insurance industry from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters reached an estimated $70...
East Coast Quake Shook US Nuclear Plant Twice as Hard as Design Allowed
Sep 8 2011 // Preliminary data from the U.S. Geological Survey shows last month’s record earthquake in the eastern United States may have shaken a Dominion Resources nuclear plant twice as hard it was designed to withstand, a...
AIR Estimates Talas Insured Losses between $150 -$600 Million
Sep 8 2011 // Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide’s initial estimates for insured losses from Tropical Storm Talas are between JPY 12 billion ($150 million) and JPY 46 billion ($600 million). Talas is the season’s 12th...
Best Affirms Markel International’s Ratings; Syndicate 3000; Outlook Stable
Sep 8 2011 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of ‘a+’ of UK-based Markel International Insurance Company...
