Latest Hurricane Headlines
All the headlines from our Hurricane Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Insurance Journal Southeast’s Top Stories for 2018: Fraud, Hurricanes, Data Security Law
Dec 31 2018 // It was a busy year in the Southeast with two major hurricanes that wreaked havoc on the region, an escalating insurance crisis in Florida, and a new industry-specific cybersecurity law in South Carolina that takes effect...
Florida County Wants Hurricane Michael Named Category 5 Storm
Dec 28 2018 // Some officials in one Florida Panhandle county are pushing for Hurricane Michael to be labelled a Category 5 storm. The News-Herald reports that some in Bay County – which was hit hard by the fierce October storm...
Florida Man Gets 8 Years for Hurricane Irma Fraud
Dec 21 2018 // A Florida man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for taking advantage of people who suffered property damage last year during Hurricane Irma. Collier County prosecutors says 44-year-old Daniel Lawrence Ohleyer was...
Georgia Farmers Eligible for Loans to Cover Hurricane Losses
Dec 21 2018 // Some Georgia farmers are eligible for federal loans to help cover the costs of losses sustained because of Hurricane Michael. The Augusta Chronicle reported Tuesday that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated...
Florida Panhandle City Borrows $50M for Hurricane Cleanup
Dec 20 2018 // Officials in Florida’s Panhandle have agreed to take out a $50 million loan to help pay for Hurricane Michael-related bills until federal reimbursements are received. The Panama City Commission approved the measure...
Larger Houses Replace Smaller When Rebuilding After Hurricanes
Dec 19 2018 // 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 storm. The research, led by the University of Southampton (UK) and...
Not all Texas Coastal Residents on Board with Proposed Storm Barrier
Dec 18 2018 // A proposed Texas coastal barrier is drawing backlash from some Gulf Coast residents and the state’s land commissioner wants more time for property owners to voice concerns. The plan is designed to protect the Texas...
Hurricane Michael Recovery Goes On for Florida Agents
Dec 17 2018 // The page has finally turned on the tumultuous 2018 hurricane season, but for the agents who live and work in the Florida Panhandle, the story isn’t over – personally or professionally. “We all still feel...
Special Report: The Industry Industry Gives Back
Dec 14 2018 // Safety National Safety National proudly supports Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis, an organization that has been helping children with physical and developmental disabilities for more than 80 years. In...
Texas Hurricane Harvey Rebuilding Commission: Storm Was a ‘Wakeup Call’
Dec 14 2018 // A commission convened by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to focus on rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey issued a report on Dec. 13 saying the state should take a series of steps to prepare for the next big storm, including improving...
South Carolina to Increase Hurricane Florence Aid Request to $435M
Dec 10 2018 // South Carolina’s congressional delegation will be able to ask for more funds to provide relief following Hurricane Florence, thanks to a move by the state’s governor. In a letter obtained Saturday by The...
Florida Fraud Strike Team Arrests Unlicensed Contractor in Panhandle
Dec 6 2018 // An unlicensed contractor operating in the Florida Panhandle has been arrested by the Florida Disaster Fraud Action Strike Force (DFAST) for allegedly conducting roofing repairs following Hurricane Michael, according to a...
Giant Hole Created by Hurricane Michael Threatens Housing, Cemetery in Florida Town
Dec 5 2018 // Hurricane Michael created a giant hole in a north Florida town that is threatening a nearby cemetery and public housing duplexes. The Tallahassee Democrat reported Sunday that the October storm caused a crater along a...
Florida Insurance Agents Improvise to Stay Connected During Hurricane Michael Recovery
Dec 5 2018 // The page has finally turned on the tumultuous 2018 hurricane season, but for the agents who live and work in the Florida Panhandle the story isn’t over – personally or professionally. “We all still feel like...
North Carolina Legislature Finalizes $300M Hurricane Relief Spending
Dec 4 2018 // Nearly $300 million in additional state spending to address North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Florence received quick and unanimous approval from the state legislature and the governor. The House voted...
Texas Senate Panel: Feds Paid Most of Harvey $2.7B Recovery Cost so Far
Dec 4 2018 // Hurricane Harvey recovery will end up costing the state as much as $2 billion, according to a report released Nov. 30 by the Texas Senate’s budget-writing panel, although it said costs may fluctuate based on how much...
Alabama Condo Complex Earns IBHS’ First-Ever Hurricane Gold Designation
Dec 3 2018 // Local developers in coastal Alabama that utilized Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) FORTIFIED Commercial construction standards in the design of a coastal condominium complex have earned the...
Researchers: Houston’s Urbanization Partly to Blame for More Frequent and Intense Rain Events
Dec 3 2018 // Studies published earlier this year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center showing a dramatic increase in the frequency of intense rain events in the Houston area in recent...
Florida Principal Arrested in $16K Hurricane Irma Insurance Fraud Attempt
Nov 29 2018 // An elementary school principal in Jacksonville, Fla., has been arrested in an alleged attempt to commit more than $16,000 in insurance fraud related to Hurricane Irma, according to a statement from Florida CFO Jimmy...
How Taxpayers Subsidize Rebuilding Homes After Flooding… Repeatedly
Nov 28 2018 // Floodwaters rose about 15 inches (40 centimeters) into Danielle Rees’ home in September when Hurricane Florence drenched this tidewater city on the Pamlico River and overwhelmed a local creek and marshland. The first...
