Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Hawaii May Drain Hurricane Funds
Mar 29 2011 // Hawaii is running out of time to find an estimated $232 million needed to balance the budget over the next three months, leading Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration to consider emptying the state’s hurricane...
U.S. Coastlines Should Be Prepared for Potential Tsunamis
Mar 23 2011 // In the wake of Japan’s tsunami disaster, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is urging Americans who live and vacation at the coast to take the threat of tsunamis seriously. With more coastline...
Igor, Tomas Retired as Hurricane Names
Mar 23 2011 // Hurricanes Igor and Tomas are no longer a threat. The World Meteorological Organization has retired the two names from those used in 2010 because of the damage they caused. Names are retired from time to time to avoid...
Munich Re Estimates Japan Quake, Tsunami Claims over $2 Billion
Mar 23 2011 // Munich Re announced that it has estimated its claims burden from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan at around €1.5 billion [$2.128 billion], after retrocession and before tax. As a result Munich Re said its...
Hannover Re Estimates Japan Quake, Tsunami Losses at $355 Million
Mar 23 2011 // Hannover Re announced that, “based on its analysis of individual treaties,” its loss expenditure from the Japan earthquake is expected to be around €250 million [$355 million] after retrocessions and before...
Japan Govt. Estimates Quake, Tsunami Damages at $185 to $308 Billion
Mar 23 2011 // The Japanese government on Wednesday estimated the direct damage from a deadly earthquake and tsunami that struck the country’s northeast this month at 16-25 trillion yen ($185-$308 billion), making it the...
Swiss Re Estimates Japan Earthquake, Tsunami Claims at $1.2 Billion
Mar 21 2011 // Swiss Re has released a preliminary estimate of its claims costs, net of retrocession and before tax, from the earthquake and the tsunami in Japan of $1.2 billion. The reinsurer cautioned that these “estimates are...
Western U.S. Tsunami Damage Exceeds $50 Million
Mar 21 2011 // Tsunami waves following Japan’s massive earthquake are estimated to have caused more than $50 million in damage in the Western United States, according to local officials. In Hawaii, Gov. Neil Abercrombie issued an...
Calif. Senators Introduce National Earthquake Legislation
Mar 18 2011 // U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both D-Calif., have introduced legislation to lower the cost of earthquake insurance for Californians and individuals who purchase coverage from a non-profit, state-run...
EQECAT Updates Japan Quake/Tsunami Analysis; Insured Losses $12-$25 Billion
Mar 17 2011 // Insured losses from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last Friday are between $12 billion and $25 billion, according to catastrophe modeler EQECAT. In its latest update, the firm describes the...
U.S. Western Tsunami Losses Climb
Mar 16 2011 // As states in the West clean up tsunami damage, loss estimates are climbing, according to local officials. In Hawaii, the estimate — tallied by Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office to be in the millions — combines...
Arkansas Earthquakes Decline After Injection Well Closures
Mar 16 2011 // The number and strength of earthquakes in central Arkansas have noticeably dropped since the shutdown of two injection wells in the area, although a state researcher says it’s too early to draw any...
Best Comments on Rating Impact of Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami
Mar 16 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has issued a bulletin indicating that it does not “expect an immediate rating impact on Japanese non-life insurers and reinsurers due to the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan. However, the...
GeoVera Insurance Launches Hurricane Product in Hawaii
Mar 15 2011 // GeoVera Insurance Co. has launched a residential windstorm-hurricane insurance product in Hawaii. The policy will insure residential properties against the single peril of windstorm during a hurricane. GeoVera is...
Fitch Ratings: Japan Quake/Tsunami Losses ‘Appear Manageable’
Mar 15 2011 // Fitch Ratings has issued a bulletin, indicating that it “believes that while the 11 March earthquake in Japan will be among the largest insured losses in history, such losses can be absorbed by the insurance and...
Japan Quake/Tsunami Loss Estimates Continue to Hit Insurers’ Shares
Mar 15 2011 // Investors sold insurance shares Monday in fear of how high the total losses from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami will go, though it will take weeks to determine how much was actually lost. At least one set of experts...
EQECAT Analyzes Specific Exposures from Japan Quake/Tsunami
Mar 15 2011 // Catastrophe modeling firm EQECAT has issued a bulletin describing the potential insured market losses and summarizing the various impacts of Japan’s insurance market with its specific inclusions and...
Lloyd’s Statement on Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami
Mar 15 2011 // Lloyd’s of London has issued the following statement on the Japanese earthquake: “Our thoughts are still with those affected by the major earthquake and tsunami events in Japan. “Lloyd’s is...
Western U.S. Tsunami Damage Exceeds $50 Million
Mar 14 2011 // Tsunami waves following Japan’s massive earthquake are estimated to have caused more than $50 million in damage in the Western United States, according to local officials. In Hawaii, Gov. Neil Abercrombie issued an...
Aflac CEO Says Exposure to Japan Quake/Tsunami is ‘Limited’
Mar 14 2011 // U.S. insurer Aflac Inc , which is the largest foreign insurer in Japan, has “rather limited” financial exposure to the devastating earthquake and tsunami, Aflac’s chief executive said. “Are we going...
