Latest Hurricane Headlines

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

U.S. Flood Models Still in Infancy, So Underwriters Must Be ‘Cautious Consumers’

Jul 24 2018 // The market for privately written inland flood insurance in the United States is growing rapidly, but flood modeling is still in its infancy. As a result, underwriters need to be aware of the differences that exist among...

Ratings Agency Ignites Controversy Over Financial Strength of Florida Insurers

Jul 24 2018 // With Florida about to enter peak hurricane season, a state insurance association representing 15 insurers in Florida is hitting back against a recent report from ratings agency Weiss Ratings that identified 10...

RMS Strengthens Asia-Pacific Capabilities in Version 18 of Modeling Software

Jul 17 2018 // RMS, the Newark, Calif.-based risk modeling and analytics firm, announced it has strengthened the Asia Pacific capabilities of its Version 18 catastrophe risk management software. The Asia Pacific model suit is being...

New Orleans Won’t Have to Return $2B in Hurricane Katrina Grants

Jul 16 2018 // Congressman Cedric Richmond says New Orleans can keep $2 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency grants approved to fix sewers and water pipes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. A Department of Homeland Security audit...

Sustainable Re/Insurance Industry Vital in Uncertain World: Swiss Re’s Ojeisekhoba

Jul 16 2018 // Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore described it as “the first taste of a bitter cup that will be proffered to us over and over again.” That devastating event killed more...

Insurance Industry Is Rethinking Cat Modeling After Last Year’s Disasters

Jul 16 2018 // After Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas last August, it not only left behind nearly 50 inches of rain in some areas and an estimated $125 billion in damage, but questions for the insurance industry in terms of how to...

Below-Average Activity Seen for Rest of Hurricane Season

Jul 16 2018 // Scientists at Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project have decreased their forecast and now believe that 2018 hurricane season will have below-average activity. According to the forecasters, the...

More Than $5B Headed to Texas for Flood Control Projects

Jul 9 2018 // Almost a year after Hurricane Harvey dumped historic rains on Texas, the state will receive more than $5 billion for a range of flood control projects, repairs and studies, the Trump administration announced on July 5. The...

Beryl, Season’s First Hurricane, Weakens; Caribbean Islands, Puerto Rico Face Uncertainty

Jul 8 2018 // Tropical Storm Beryl moved rapidly westward early Sunday, heading for the Lesser Antilles at the eastern entrance of the Caribbean Sea. Although what had been the Atlantic season’s first hurricane was losing power,...

Forecasters Now See Below-Average Activity for Rest of Hurricane Season

Jul 5 2018 // Scientists at Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project have decreased their forecast and now believe that 2018 hurricane season will have below-average activity. According to the forecasters, the...

Finding A Better Course to Navigate Disasters

Jul 2 2018 // Despite the last several hurricane seasons, not nearly enough has been done to improve our country’s resilience against future storms. As a nation, we continue to spend the vast majority of disaster aid on recovery,...

One Man’s Solution After Harvey’s Floods? Build His Own Levee.

Jun 29 2018 // After Hurricane Harvey inundated David Bush’s Richmond, Texas, home with 20 inches of rain, he knew he wanted to rebuild but was worried about how his property could be protected from the next big storm. So, Bush...

Every $1 Spent in Hurricane Protection Lowers Property Loss Exposure by $105

Jun 28 2018 // Every $1 a business spends on hurricane protection reduces loss exposure by an average of $105. That’s based on an analysis by global commercial and industrial property insurer firm FM Global, which reviewed loss and...

What’s Ahead for Reinsurance Industry in 2018: Fitch

Jun 27 2018 // The global reinsurance industry demonstrated resiliency following the record level of catastrophe losses in 2017, as very strong capitalization and effective risk management enabled the sector to absorb the multiple hits...

Lessons Learned From Hurricane Harvey Highlighted in Zurich Report

Jun 25 2018 // An inconsistent regulatory environment and a lack of awareness by residents of the potential flooding dangers in and around Houston were among the factors that contributed to the heavy damage inflicted by Hurricane Harvey,...

Hurricane Irma Blamed for Worst Florida Citrus Crop Since 1940s

Jun 22 2018 // Florida’s citrus growers are blaming Hurricane Irma for one of their worst seasons in decades. In a Naples Daily News report, U.S. agriculture officials said Florida’s orange production dropped nearly 35...

Louisiana Seeks to Clarify Named Storm/Hurricane Deductible Law

Jun 21 2018 // The Louisiana Department of Insurance has issued an advisory letter to property/casualty insurers operating in the state that seeks to clarify the interpretation and application of state law regarding policy deductibles in...

Florida’s Citizens Delays Decision on Proposed 2019 Rate Increases

Jun 21 2018 // Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will wait until December to determine its 2019 insurance rates and whether it will approve a proposed 7.9 percent statewide increase for homeowners policies. The decision...

Hurricane-Proof Home Building Available But Pricey, Slow to Be Adopted

Jun 20 2018 // In a private waterfront resort on the northern tip of Key Largo, nestled between tropical forest and the Caribbean, Eric Soulavy is marketing luxury for the age of climate change: Coastal homes that are all but hurricane...

Survey: Floridians Still Not Adequately Prepared for Hurricane Season

Jun 20 2018 // Just six months after the punishing 2017 season battered the Sunshine State, most Floridians are still not prepared for the potential assault of another hurricane season, according to a survey by the FAIR Foundation. The...