Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
On Shaky Ground
May 5 2008 // There have been a lot of rumblings lately — with scientists recording earthquakes in Nevada, Oregon and throughout the Midwest ranging from magnitudes 4.7 to 5.4. The U.S. Geological survey recently noted that...
Survey: Majority of October’s California Wildfire Claims Settled
May 5 2008 // A new survey of insurance companies estimated that nearly 90 percent of claims stemming from the devastating October 2007 fire and wind storms in California have been settled. A poll by the Insurance Information Network of...
Earthquakes Raise Questions of Future Shocks, Public Readiness
May 5 2008 // Just weeks after earthquakes rattled Nevada, the Midwest and the coast of Oregon, and on the heels of the 102nd anniversary of San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake, the public, government officials and insurance industry...
Earthquakes Shake Reno, Bigger Quake Could be Coming
May 5 2008 // Two moderate earthquakes shook the Mogul-Somerset area just west of Reno, Nev., on April 24, 2008, according to the Nevada Seismological Laboratory. While there were no immediate reports of damage, the laboratory predicts...
Earthquake Raises Questions About Coverage, Construction Codes
May 5 2008 // Weeks after a 5.2 level earthquake rocked the Midwest from Cairo, Ill., to Atlanta, Ga., geologists and the insurance industry are still discussing the impact of the quake — such as increases in the purchase of...
S&P Reports on the ‘Evolving World of Property/Casualty Securitizations’
May 2 2008 // A report from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services analyzes the catastrophe bond and reinsurance sidecar markets, which, S&P concludes, have “experienced sharp surges of activity after 2005.”...
Hurricane Season Looming, Mississippi Commissioner Says Be Prepared
May 2 2008 // With the 2008 hurricane season less than a month away, Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney encourages all coastal residents to protect their lives and property by making preparations now. One of the first...
Virginia’s Had Worse Tornadoes than Most Recent Outbreak
May 1 2008 // Only one other tornado outbreak in Virginia’s history caused more injuries than this Monday’s, although several others have been more prolific and deadly, according to the Virginia Department of Emergency...
Magnitude-5.2 Earthquake Hits Northern California
May 1 2008 // A moderate earthquake hit a mountainous region of Northern California on Tuesday night. There are no immediate reports or injury or damage. The magnitude-5.2 temblor struck at 8:03 p.m., centered about 11 miles southeast...
Earthquake Expert Honored in Utah for Lifetime of Service
May 1 2008 // A University of Utah earthquake expert received a lifetime achievement award from the Western States Seismic Policy Council. Walter Arabasz got the award last week at a national earthquake conference in Seattle. He is...
Coast Strongly Influences Louisiana, Texas Property Markets
May 1 2008 // Louisiana and Texas share a lot. Besides sharing a common border, they share the Gulf of Mexico — both its bounty and its battering, in the form of tropical storms and hurricanes. The latter greatly influences the rates...
Wildfire Near Los Angeles Forces 1,000 to Evacuate Homes
Apr 30 2008 // Crews overcame a threatening flare-up Monday and worked to halt a wildfire east of Los Angeles that has sent 1,000 people fleeing their homes. Water-dropping aircraft were back in the air April 28 to complement ground...
Experts Say Potential for Arizona Wildfires Extreme
Apr 30 2008 // Wildland fire officials are warning of a potential disaster in southeastern Arizona. Fire behavior analysts with the Eastern Arizona Incident Management Team say the potential for extreme wildfire conditions are the worst...
Insurance- ‘Green’ Coalition Opposes Expanding Government Catastrophe Bailouts
Apr 30 2008 // An unusual alliance of insurance and environmental groups is urging lawmakers to focus on policies that encourage property mitigation and environmental protection in catastrophe-prone areas, rather than expanding the...
Virginia Tornado Victims Cope with Injuries, Demolished Homes
Apr 30 2008 // Weary residents of the southern Virginia city of Suffolk, some awakening in emergency shelters, braced themselves to see what was left of their homes and livelihoods Tuesday after three tornadoes smashed houses, piled cars...
First Estimate on Virginia Tornado Property Damage: $18 Million
Apr 30 2008 // Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine visited the city of Suffolk to comfort storm victims and to survey the damage caused by severe weather that hit central and southeastern Virginia. The governor walked through neighborhoods where...
Historic Arkansas Museum Closing Because of Tornado Damage
Apr 30 2008 // Baxter County Heritage Museum in Gassville, Ark., damaged by a tornado while closed for its winter break, will not reopen in the historic building it has occupied for eight years. Officials say a new site will be sought in...
Report: Insurance-Related Securities Could Prompt Disaster Coverage
Apr 30 2008 // A new report released today says that by decreasing barriers in the emerging market of insurance-linked securities, insurance companies might be able to obtain the capital needed to cover more risks in disaster-prone areas...
9 Catastrophes to Cost P/C Insurers $3 Billion in 1st Quarter
Apr 29 2008 // U.S. property/casualty insurers are expected to pay homeowners and businesses an estimated $3.35 billion for first-quarter property losses resulting from nine catastrophes. The nine events identified as catastrophes by the...
Kentucky Residents Recovering from Tornadoes Unhappy with Feds
Apr 29 2008 // Allen County, Ky. Judge-Executive Bobby Young has a simple description of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “FEMA is a joke,” Young said. That sentiment – and variations on it – can be heard...
