Latest Hurricane Headlines
All the headlines from our Hurricane Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Georgia House Budget Increases Funds for Hurricane, School Safety
Feb 13 2019 // The Georgia House has approved a midyear budget adjustment that increases funding for school safety and farmers hit by the devastation of Hurricane Michael in October. Republican Rep. Terry England, chairman of the House...
AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Auto Club Insurance Co. of Florida
Feb 7 2019 // AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a-” from “bbb+” of Auto Club Insurance Company of Florida (ACICF),...
The United States Saw 11 Natural Disaster Events That Exceeded $1 Billion in Damage During 2018
Feb 6 2019 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic. When it comes to natural disasters, 2018 was an eventful year worldwide. Typhoons devastated the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan and Oman. Earthquakes caused mass...
Lawmakers Need to Decide Nature of Texas Windstorm Insurer, Sunset Commission Says
Feb 4 2019 // To be the insurer of last resort for wind and hail insurance along the Texas coast — without state support and reliant on premium dollars and debt financing for funding, or to be a true insurance company that derives...
When Rebuilding After Hurricanes, Big Homes Replace Small
Feb 4 2019 // Trend Is Playing Out in Areas Prone to Extreme Winds and Storm Surge A study of hurricane-hit areas of the United States has revealed a trend of larger homes being built to replace smaller ones in the years following a...
Expert: Florida’s Hurricane-Hit Timber Industry Will Need Years to Recover
Jan 31 2019 // It could take a decade or more for Florida’s timber industry to recover from Hurricane Michael’s devastation, and the countless downed trees pose an immediate wildfire threat, Florida Forest Service Director...
Assessing Effects of Government Shutdown on Wildfires, Workforce, Research
Jan 28 2019 // The government may be reopening, but the consequences of the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history are likely to linger for national parks, forests, the federal workforce and cutting-edge scientific research. Some may...
Trump Expands Federal Reimbursement for Florida’s Hurricane Michael Cleanup
Jan 28 2019 // Florida will get potentially hundreds of million dollars for Hurricane Michael recovery after President Donald Trump agreed to expand the number of days the federal government will reimburse state and local governments for...
Texas Senator Proposes Statewide Flood Control Plan
Jan 25 2019 // Before the next Hurricane Harvey strikes, and thousands of homes are damaged or destroyed, some Texas lawmakers want to make sure communities statewide are better prepared for future floods. On Jan. 22, state Sen. Charles...
Hurricane Florence Demonstrates Perils of Being Underinsured/Uninsured, Says RMS
Jan 24 2019 // Hurricane Florence caused extensive freshwater flood damage in the Carolinas and parts of Virginia in September—and about 70 percent of those flood losses will be uninsured, according to RMS. “The insured loss for...
Private Flood Insurers Not Yet Ready to Fill Massive U.S. Protection Gap
Jan 24 2019 // The flood insurance protection gap in the United States is massive, but the take-up rate of private flood insurance continues to be low. The relative inability of private insurers to penetrate the flood insurance market...
Insurance Industry Use of Drone, Aerial Imagery Soared After 2018 Southeast Disasters
Jan 24 2019 // The importance of drones and aerial imagery rose to a new level in the wake of 2018 natural catastrophes as insurers made them an integral part of their disaster recovery procedures, particularly following the hurricanes...
Texas Sunset Board: Legislature Needs to Decide Nature of Windstorm Insurer
Jan 23 2019 // To be the insurer of last resort for wind and hail insurance along the Texas coast, without state support and reliant on premium dollars and debt financing for funding, or to be a true insurance company that derives...
Travelers Grew Q4 Profit Despite California Wildfire, Hurricane Michael Losses
Jan 22 2019 // Travelers Cos. reported that despite catastrophe losses from the California wildfires and Hurricane Michael, it boosted its profit in the fourth quarter of 2018 thanks to growth in premiums and investment income. Net...
California Wildfires, Hurricane Michael Top List of 2018’s Costliest Natural Disasters: Munich Re
Jan 21 2019 // The costliest natural catastrophes occurred in the United States in 2018 with one of California’s devastating wildfires and Hurricane Michael topping the list, according to Munich Re. A report from Munich Re on last...
Industry Trends to Exploit for 2019
Jan 21 2019 // It is time to take out our crystal ball and plan for 2019 and how our insurance industry will be impacted by the trends around us. Those that consider these changes, and plan ahead, will usually be in a better position...
For New Governors, Natural Disasters Will Be Necessary Priority
Jan 21 2019 // Even Governors Skeptical of Climate Change Can’t Avoid Need to Plan for Future Storms, Fires Governors have a range of priorities they want to tackle in the coming year, from tax reform to education. Yet, one topic...
Unlicensed Adjuster Arrested for Stealing $14K from Homeowners After Irma
Jan 18 2019 // An unlicensed insurance adjuster has been arrested over unlicensed public adjusting activities and the filing of false and fraudulent liens on individuals’ homes following Hurricane Irma, according to a statement...
Swiss Re Estimates Its Q4 Natural Catastrophe Claims to Hit US$1.0B
Jan 15 2019 // Swiss Re estimates it will pay claims of approximately $1.0 billion for natural catastrophes booked in the fourth quarter of 2018, with the largest generated from California wildfires and Hurricane Michael. These natural...
Florida Courts Bogged Down by New Gun Law, Hurricane Suits
Jan 8 2019 // Florida’s new gun law is keeping courts busy, and the state Supreme Court also says lawsuits over hurricane disputes could be on the rise. The Florida Supreme Court said Dec. 28 that 100 petitions a month have been...
