Latest Catastrophe Headlines

All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Zenith Estimates Losses Related to Hurricanes

Oct 4 2004 // Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Zenith National Insurance Corp. announced its initial estimate of aggregate losses in its assumed reinsurance business attributable to Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Zenith...

Montpelier Re Estimates Hurricane and Typhoon Net Impact at $185 to $235 Million

Oct 1 2004 // Bermuda-based Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. announced that on the basis of currently available information the estimated combined net negative impact of losses from Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne and Typhoons...

At $22 Billion, Insured Losses from Four Florida Hurricanes Will Exceed Andrew’s Record

Oct 1 2004 //

Munich Re Estimates $616 Million Hurricane Losses

Oct 1 2004 // Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer, issued a statement estimating that its losses from “an unusually close succession of windstorms in the Atlantic and Pacific” would be around 500 million euros...

Hurricane-Related Claims Force American Superior Into Receivership

Oct 1 2004 // Florida state regulators have placed American Superior Insurance Co. into receivership (See Southeast News Sept. 29) after it became overwhelmed by homeowners claims. The small company with offices in Plantation, Fla., has...

XL Estimates Frances and Ivan Claims at $220 Million

Oct 1 2004 // Bermuda’s XL Capital Ltd. announced that, based on initial loss reports and preliminary estimates, it expects to receive net claims arising from Hurricanes Frances and Ivan of approximately $70 million and $150...

Transatlantic Holdings Estimates Net Hurricane Losses at $97.5 Million

Oct 1 2004 // Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. (TRH) estimated that its net losses from Hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne will amount to approximately $65 million, after tax. It said, “after adding the impact of such losses to the...

Fla. Official Urges Patience in Filing Insurance Claims

Oct 1 2004 // After preparing for recent hurricanes, then living through them, the last thing shell-shocked Osceola County, Fla. residents want is difficulty in filing claims with insurance or government agencies. Some homeowners are...

The Hartford Reports Q3 Earnings

Sep 30 2004 // The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. today estimated its 2004 third quarter earnings per fully diluted share at between $0.85 and $0.95. This estimated range assumes no net realized capital gains or losses or unusual...

Fairfax, OdysseyRe Estimate Hurricane Losses

Sep 30 2004 // Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited announced that its initial estimate of aggregate potential net losses relating to Hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne is in the range of US$85 million to US$95 million after...

Insurers Applaud House Committee Passage of TRIA Extension Act

Sep 30 2004 // Both the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) praised the House Financial Services Committee’s passage of H.R. 4634, the Terrorism...

RenRe Comments on Hurricanes’ $425 Million Impact; Fitch Affirms Debt Ratings

Sep 30 2004 // Bermuda-based RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. estimates that Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne will have a combined negative impact on the Company’s third quarter earnings of approximately $425 million. RenRe...

Horace Mann Reports Hurricane Impact

Sep 30 2004 // Illinois-based Horace Mann Educators Corp. estimates its financial impact from Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan, net of anticipated reinsurance, will total approximately $23 to $26 million pretax. In addition, the...

Penn-America Group Notes Hurricane Losses

Sep 29 2004 // Pennsylvania-based Penn-America Group Inc. stated that based upon claims reported to date, it expects after-tax losses from Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, including additional reinsurance premiums, will be...

SCOR Estimates Q3 Hurricane Losses at $27.5 Million

Sep 29 2004 // France’s SCOR Group estimates that the total gross cost of the cost of the hurricanes in the United States and in the Caribbean, Charley, Frances and Ivan, to be 22.5 million euros million ($27.5 million). SCOR noted...

W. Va. Hurricane Ivan Aid at $2.5 Million

Sep 29 2004 // Federal and state grants to assist West Virginians with flood recovery efforts have reached $2.5 million, state and federal recovery officials said on Wednesday. President Bush’s Sept. 20 Hurricane Ivan disaster...

Fla. Insurers Often Waive Multiple Deductibles

Sep 29 2004 // Many insurance companies are waiving additional deductibles for people who’ve suffered losses from more than one hurricane. Hurricane Jeanne’s path poses the grim prospect of triple insurance deductibles for...

Big ‘I’ Praises Approval of Terrorism Insurance Backstop Bill by Financial Services Committee

Sep 29 2004 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) is hailing House Financial Services Committee passage of H.R. 4634, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Backstop Extension Act. The Association...

PXRE Comments on Recent Catastrophes

Sep 29 2004 // The Bermuda-based PXRE Group Ltd. said that, while it was too early to give definitive estimates of its losses from the recent hurricanes and typhoons, they would have an impact on the property catastrophe...

Jeanne Makes 2004 Costliest for U.S. Hurricane Losses

Sep 28 2004 // Hurricane Jeanne, the fourth major storm to hit Florida this year, has caused between $4 billion and $14 billion in insured losses in the state, meaning that 2004 may now be the insurance industry’s costliest year...