Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Louisiana Hurricane Researcher and Corps Critic Fails to Win Job Back
Apr 15 2010 // A federal judge refused to immediately reinstate Louisiana State University hurricane and coastal researcher Ivor van Heerden, who was stripped of most of his duties last year. Van Heerden claims he is losing his job...
Key Mississippi Katrina ‘Wind v. Water’ Case Settled Out of Court
Apr 15 2010 // A Mississippi couple and the insurer they were suing over hurricane damage to their coastal home from Hurricane Katrina have settled their closely-watched case out of court. The terms were not disclosed. The case, Corban...
P/C Industry’s Net Income Up $25B in 2009; Combined Ratio Improves
Apr 15 2010 // The U.S. property/casualty industry’s profitability as measured by their rate of return on average policyholders’ surplus (or statutory net worth) increased by 5.8 percent in 2009, while private P/C...
Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius Ranked as Europe’s Most Dangerous Volcano
Apr 15 2010 // A major eruption of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius could result in 8,000 fatalities, 13,000 serious injuries and total economic losses of more than $24 billion, says a new study. According to the Willis Research Network...
Icelandic Volcano Eruption Intensifies; Airline Travel No-Go
Apr 15 2010 // A volcanic eruption in Iceland, which has thrown up a 6-km (3.7 mile) high plume of ash and disrupted air traffic across northern Europe, has grown more intense, an expert said on Thursday. The eruption under the...
Death Toll from Southwestern China Earthquake Now at 300
Apr 14 2010 // The death toll from an earthquake in the mountainous Tibetan plateau in southwestern China has reached about 300, with more than 8,000 injured, state television reported on Wednesday, quoting a government official.
Minor Earthquake Reported in Southwest Virginia
Apr 14 2010 // There are no reports of damage from a minor earthquake that struck Southwest Virginia. The National Geological Survey’s Web site says the 2.5-magnitude temblor struck at 12:12 a.m. Tuesday. The epicenter was 8 miles...
Report: Q1 Catastrophe Bond Market Sees Sustained Improvement
Apr 14 2010 // Catastrophe bond issuance conditions saw sustained improvement in the first quarter of 2010, reflecting the increase in prominence of the insurance linked securities (ILS) asset class. Despite the continued improvement in...
Florida Chief McCarty: Facts, Not Fear, Should Guide Insurance Debate
Apr 12 2010 // Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty sent a letter to the state’s media outlets on April 9 regarding the current property insurance system and what should be done to improve it. In it, he says the exodus of...
Arkansas, Oklahoma Record Minor Earthquakes
Apr 12 2010 // The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded another earthquake in central Oklahoma, and an additional one in central Arkansas as well. A 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 7:42 a.m. April 8 about two miles southwest of...
Florida Gov. Crist Vows to Veto Bills Favoring Insurers
Apr 8 2010 // Gov. Charlie Crist says he will veto any legislation that raises homeowners insurance rates. “If a bill gets to my desk that favors the insurers, I will veto it,” Crist told a group of Realtors convening at the...
Forecasters Predict Above-Average Hurricane Season in 2010
Apr 8 2010 // The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season will produce an above-average eight hurricanes, four of them major, posing a heightened threat to the U.S. coastline, the Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team predicted...
7.8 Earthquake Rocks Indonesian Island of Sumatra
Apr 7 2010 // A major earthquake of 7.8 magnitude shook the northwestern coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Tuesday. A local tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, the Pacific Tsunami...
Experts Estimate $300 Million in Losses from Mexico Earthquake
Apr 6 2010 // Damage estimates from Sunday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Mexico, just south of California, are not expected to exceed $1 billion, and insured losses should not exceed $300 million, according to risk modeling firm...
National Hurricane Center Considers Issuing Storm Surge Warning
Apr 1 2010 // The National Hurricane Center is considering adding a storm-surge warning to its list of watches and warnings issued during hurricane season. Center officials floated the idea of a storm-surge warning to a crowd of...
Terrorism Insurance Market in State of Uncertainty
Mar 30 2010 // The threat of terrorism in the U.S. is rising but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when top U.S. officials warn of an imminent attack that might be hard to prevent, the...
Catlin Estimates Impact of Chilean Quake, Windstorm Xynthia
Mar 25 2010 // The Bermuda-based Catlin Group Limited has given preliminary estimates of the financial impact of the Chilean earthquake – around $140 million – and Windstorm Xynthia – less than $10 million. Catlin noted...
California Earthquake Authority Supports Federal Catastrophe Insurance Bill
Mar 22 2010 // The Homeowners Defense Act (H.R. 2555), a bill that would provide a federal backup for states with catastrophe insurance funds, would reduce California earthquake insurance premiums by about 35 percent, according to...
Growing Skepticism Ignores Climate Change Facts; Max Merges with Harbor Point; Terrorist Pirates Threaten the Malacca Strait
Mar 22 2010 // The Climate Change debate rolls on, but real decisions and effective actions remain elusive. Hardly a week goes by without a new report or study on the changes affecting the atmosphere, but the general public appears to be...
Innovative Use of Insurance Tools in Disaster Risk Management for Sustainable Development
Mar 22 2010 // The devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan in the summer of 2004, when it crossed the Caribbean Sea causing major damage in Grenada, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, produced one good thing. The Caribbean Community and...
