Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
AIR Report: Typhoon Roke Now Offshore; Passed Tokyo with Heavy Rain
Sep 22 2011 // According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, after crossing over more than 350 kilometers [219 miles] of the main Japanese island of Honshu, Typhoon Roke, the 15th named storm of the 2011 Northwest Pacific typhoon...
Aon Benfield Conference Underlines ‘Complexity’ of Catastrophic Events
Sep 22 2011 // Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon Corp., will urge insureds and insurers to “look at the bigger picture as cat events become more complex,” at its 12th Hazards...
Typhoon Roke Threatens Japan: AIR Report
Sep 21 2011 // According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide more than a million people were evacuated in central and western Japan in advance of Typhoon Roke’s arrival. The storm formed on September 10 and is the 15th named...
Lloyd’s Reports Billion Dollar First Half Loss Due to Catastrophes
Sep 21 2011 // As had been more or less predicted, Lloyd’s posted a £697 million [$1.094 billion] pre-tax loss for the first six months of 2011, compared to an overall profit of £628 million [$985.6 million] as of June 30, 2010....
Bastrop, Texas, Wildfire Nearly Contained, Thousands Left Homeless
Sep 20 2011 // A wildfire that began more than two weeks ago in Bastrop County is 95 percent contained, according to the Texas Forest Service. The area is about 25 miles east of Austin. The TFS reports that the cause of the fire was most...
EQECAT President on the Continuing Evolution of Catastrophe Models
Sep 20 2011 // “Models are never done – they’re evolutionary,” said EQECAT’s president Bill Keogh in an interview at the Reinsurance Rendezvous in Monte Carlo. EQECAT’s latest updates were released on July...
Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall on Newfoundland; Now Post-Tropical
Sep 19 2011 // A report from catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide notes that “Extratropical Storm Maria made landfall as a minimal Category 1 hurricane on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula near Cape Pine on Friday afternoon...
State Auto Introduces Claims Team at Austin Facility
Sep 19 2011 // State Auto Insurance’s previously announced Austin, Texas, claims facility is now operational, the company reported. The following individuals serve on the claims team at the Austin facility: Sandra Robinson, claims...
9/11 and Terrorism Risk 10 Years Later
Sep 19 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...
Americans Have False Sense of Security About Catastrophes, Survey Finds
Sep 19 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...
Irene Raises Hurricane Deductible Questions in Northeast States
Sep 19 2011 // New York and New Jersey regulators said recently that hurricane deductibles should not apply on homeowners’ insurance policies for Irene damages in their states. That’s because Irene was downgraded and...
U.S. Taking a Beating from Disasters
Sep 19 2011 // Nature is pummeling the United States this year with extremes. Unprecedented triple-digit heat and devastating drought. Deadly tornadoes leveling towns. Massive rivers overflowing. A billion-dollar blizzard. And now,...
Wildfires in Texas’ Bastrop County Destroy More than 1,500 Homes
Sep 19 2011 // The number of homes destroyed by wildfires in a single Texas county had risen to 1,554 as of Sept. 11, 2011. The massive Bastrop County Complex fire was one of a rash of wildfires that broke out across drought-stricken...
Alabama Names Tornado Recovery Panel
Sep 19 2011 // Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has chosen the president and CEO of Protective Life Corp., Johnny Johns, and the publisher of The Birmingham News, Pam Siddall, to lead his Tornado Recovery Action Council. Retired aerospace...
North Carolina Senate Panel Learns Hurricane Irene’s Costs
Sep 16 2011 // The state agency overseeing North Carolina’s response to Hurricane Irene estimates the price tag on helping individuals and governments recover from Hurricane Irene so far at about $125 million. The Division of...
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...
