Latest Hurricane Headlines
All the headlines from our Hurricane Topic Page, ordered by recency.
I.I.I.: Claims in La. Equal to 25 Years of Premiums
Jan 22 2006 // The record total of homeowners insurance claims payments resulting from the 2005 hurricanes in Louisiana is enough to wipe out all homeowners premiums paid in the state during the past 25 years, as well as every dollar of...
Reinsurance Outlook
Jan 22 2006 // Although Katrina is long gone, the clouds of misfortune she and her sisters generated will linger for decades. They radiate well beyond Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and other regions into the heart of...
Fla. Residents Urged to Purchase Flood Insurance for 2006 Hurricane Season
Jan 20 2006 // As Floridians continue to recover from the storms of 2004 and 2005, and the 2006 season fast approaches, it is vital that all property owners living and doing business in areas designated as flood zones by the National...
LIRC Approves Post-Katrina Rate Hikes
Jan 20 2006 // The first post-Katrina increase in homeowners insurance rates has been approved by the Louisiana Insurance Rating Commission, beginning what is expected to be a line of rate increase requests this year. The commission...
Entergy Reports $1.5 Billion in Hurricane Damage
Jan 20 2006 // Utility holding company Entergy Corp. reported that its damages from hurricanes Katrina and Rita totaled $1.5 billion and predicted its fourth-quarter earnings will drop from a year ago. Entergy said it expected earnings...
Mercury General Revises Loss Estimates from Hurricane Wilma
Jan 19 2006 // Mercury General Corp. has revised its estimate of losses caused by Hurricane Wilma. On Oct. 24, 2005, Hurricane Wilma made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the southern gulf coast of Florida. The storm crossed the Florida...
Former FEMA Director Witt Advocates Need for National CAT Fund
Jan 19 2006 // James Lee Witt, former FEMA director and co-chair of ProtectingAmerica.org, told the members of the Task Force on Long-Term Solutions for Florida’s Hurricane Insurance Market on Thursday that there is an urgent need...
National Hurricane Center Releases Final Report on Hurricane Wilma
Jan 18 2006 // Hurricane Wilma hit densely populated South Florida at Category 2 strength, and it was stronger than originally estimated when it struck Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said in its final report on the storm. Most...
Best Downgrades FSR for Louisiana Farm Bureau; Outlook Negative
Jan 18 2006 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B+ (Very Good) from A- (Excellent) of Louisiana Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (LFB) (Baton Rouge, La.). The rating has been removed from under review and...
Despite Hurricanes, Fewer Insurers Failed in 2005, Reports Weiss Ratings
Jan 17 2006 // Despite mounting losses from another devastating hurricane season, property and casualty insurance company failures declined 44 percent, dropping from 16 to nine, while solid economic growth resulted in no bank closures in...
Everest Re Ups 2005 Hurricane Losses to $1.2 Billion
Jan 13 2006 // The Bermuda-based Everest Re Group, Ltd. announced that it has increased its loss estimates for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Total pre-tax losses from these events, which had previously been estimated at $1.0...
Miss. Hurricane Victims Warned: Beware of Contractor Scams
Jan 12 2006 // Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi have been warned to beware of scam artists and disreputable contractors and to check contractors out closely before hiring them to do repairs, according to Robert Latham, director...
AIA: Paper on Insurance Claims Handling is Reckless
Jan 12 2006 // A paper issued Thursday by Americans for Insurance Reform (AIR) is “untrue, irresponsible and reckless,” according to the American Insurance Association (AIA). “Tens of thousands of insurance company...
Allstate Limits Homeowners’ Business in N.Y. Coastal Areas
Jan 12 2006 // Allstate, New York State’s biggest writer of homeowners insurance, is pulling back from writing new business in New York metropolitan coastal areas in order to limit its exposure to future storm losses. The insurer...
U.S. Rep. Taylor Joins Lawsuit Against Mississippi Insurer
Jan 11 2006 // U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., has joined the thousands of Mississippians suing State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., challenging the insurance company’s refusal to cover property losses resulting from Hurricane...
Allstate Announces Rate Hikes Likely in Disaster Prone States
Jan 11 2006 // Allstate Corp. announced this week that customers living in areas hard-hit by hurricanes and other natural disasters, including North Carolina, are likely to see their premiums rise this year as a result of the...
Countrywide Insurance Group’s DeLaney Named Corporate Trailblazer
Jan 11 2006 // California-based Countrywide Insurance Group reported that chief operations officer Doreen DeLaney was named a Corporate Trailblazer by Minorities in Business Magazine. She was honored at the publication’s 10th...
Mass. Fair Plan Rate Case Drags On with Parties Far Apart
Jan 9 2006 // Hearings to decide on rates for the homeowners insurance residual market in Massachusetts have been going on since November and are likely to continue for several more months, according to officials. The three major...
Wills Re Reviews 2005; Analyzes January Renewals
Jan 9 2006 // Willis Re, the reinsurance unit of the Willis Group, has issued a comprehensive report that reviews the current state of the reinsurance market in light of the past 18 months. While emphasizing that the Gulf hurricanes...
I.I.I. Says Record Mississippi Homeowners’ Claim Payments from 2005 Hurricanes
Jan 9 2006 // The record total of homeowners insurance claims payments resulting from the 2005 hurricanes in Mississippi is reportedly enough to wipe out all homeowners premiums paid in the state during the past 17 years. The magnitude...
