Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Insurers’ Ratings Won’t Be Penalized for Catastrophe Losses: Demotech
Jun 28 2011 // The fact that U.S. property/casualty insurers’ earnings have taken a hit due to recent catastrophe losses should not by itself mean insurer ratings will change, according to one rating firm. As long as the insurers...
The Aftershocks of Vulnerable Supply Chains
Jun 27 2011 // The massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March has led to supply chain disruptions around the world, sending a wakeup call to companies that do not have viable business continuity plans in place for themselves...
Oklahoma Wildfire That Destroyed 13 Homes Under Control, Residents Return
Jun 27 2011 // A massive wildfire that destroyed 13 homes the Medicine Park, Okla., area was contained on June 25, allowing residents to return to their homes. Firefighters from a few local agencies remained on the scene to mop up hot...
Alabama Ranks First in Severe Tornadoes
Jun 27 2011 // The upgrade of one of the April 27 tornadoes to an EF5 ranking puts Alabama at No. 1 in the nation for the most severe tornadoes. The tornado that hit Fyffe, Rainsville and Sylvania in DeKalb County at about 6 p.m. that...
Alabama, FEMA Leaders Meet to Plan State’s Tornado Recovery
Jun 24 2011 // More than 60 representatives of private, public and nonprofit groups are discussing ways to help Alabama recover from an outbreak of deadly tornadoes that struck April 27. This week’s meeting was the first meeting of...
Kentucky’s Churchill Downs Assessing Tornado Damage
Jun 24 2011 // A possible tornado damaged several horse barns at Churchill Downs, prompting track officials to temporarily halt races Thursday at the famed Kentucky Derby horse track. Some horses have been moved to private farms,...
North Carolina Residents Near Wildfire Urged to Evacuate
Jun 24 2011 // Residents near the Onslow and Pender county line in North Carolina are being evacuated on a voluntary basis as a wildfire spreads. As of Thursday, the fire has burned 20,000 acres. Fire officials said the wildfire started...
Tornado Repairs at St. Louis Airport May Cost $30M
Jun 24 2011 // The cost to repair tornado damage at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport could reach as much as $30 million. Airport officials said they’ve received estimates of $25 million to $30 million to restore Terminal 1...
Bridgeport Rebuilding as Tornado Anniversary Marked
Jun 24 2011 // A year has passed since a tornado roared down Main Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut, battering buildings and toppling trees in the Nutmeg State’s largest city. Recovery has been steady in some areas and lagging in...
Report: SoCal Quake Would Rattle Economy
Jun 24 2011 // A new study says a big Southern California earthquake would rattle the region’s economy as well as its buildings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said a magnitude-7.8 quake in the southern segment of the San...
Californians’ Biggest Disaster Fear: Earthquakes
Jun 24 2011 // Of the many possible disasters that could befall Californians, Golden State residents fear earthquakes the most, according to a recent poll. Statewide, 57 percent of voters cite earthquakes as their greatest threat from...
Churchill Downs Cleaning Up After Tornado
Jun 23 2011 // Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Ky., said it will resume live horse racing the night of Friday, June 24, after a day off to survey tornado damage to barns and other structures. The racing facility was forced to...
Texas Senate Passes Windstorm Bill
Jun 23 2011 // The Texas Senate has passed a bill intended to improve the state’s coastal windstorm insurance agency, clarifying the claims process and increasing transparency at the agency. The measure to reform the Texas...
Analysts Debate Outlook for Reinsurance Stocks
Jun 23 2011 // With reinsurance stocks trading below book value, equity analysts basically agree on the factors affecting these stocks but differ on their outlook on the sector. Property/casualty insurance analysts Meyer Shields, analyst...
Florida Agents’ Leader Grady Cites Progress, Disappointments on Reform
Jun 23 2011 // For those in the industry, Florida’s recent legislative session was a long march as they tried to navigate through a process that initially promised much in the form of a new governor and strong pro-business...
Florida Counties Ban Fireworks Due to Wildfire Risk
Jun 23 2011 // Drought conditions and rampant wildfires have forced 29 Florida counties to ban open fires. And for 22 of those counties, the ban covers fireworks. The Florida Division of Forestry said that more than 440 active wildfires...
Wildfires Continue to Plague Arizona, New Mexico
Jun 22 2011 // Fourteen homes have been destroyed in Arizona yesterday, after the Monument Fire burning near Sierra Vista went south into neighborhoods. All told, there are six fires burning in Arizona, and five in New Mexico. As of June...
P/C Insurers’ Profits Fell in Q1 as Underwriting Losses Grew
Jun 22 2011 // Private U.S. property/casualty insurers’ net income after taxes dropped to $7.8 billion in first-quarter 2011 from $8.9 billion in first-quarter 2010, with insurers’ annualized rate of return on average...
Wildfires Burn 3 Dozen Homes Across Texas
Jun 21 2011 // Firefighters in Texas are attempting to contain more wildfires after several blazes broke out across the state and destroyed more than three dozen homes. Hundreds of people were told to evacuate June 19 after fires swept...
Hurricane Beatriz Hits Mexico’s Pacific Coast
Jun 21 2011 // Hurricane Beatriz bore down on Mexico’s Pacific coast Tuesday, putting tourist areas and major ports on alert for heavy rainfall and flash floods, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The eye of the hurricane was...
