Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Arson suspected in Texas wildfires
Jan 23 2006 // Some 70 fires thought to be work of arsonists Many of the wildfires that plagued Texas during the first half of January 2006 may have been started intentionally, according to the Texas Forest Service. Some 70 wildfires in...
2006 hurricane preparations top Mississippi’s legislative agenda
Jan 23 2006 // PCI pushing for stronger building codes Enacting and enforcing a strong statewide building code could save billions of dollars in damages from hurricanes and should be among the top priorities of Mississippi lawmakers...
Fla. Insurance Council predicts hurricane coverage utmost concern
Jan 23 2006 // Florida Insurance Council Executive Vice President Sam Miller predicts hurricane insurance will be the most significant property and casualty issue in 2006, just as it was in 2005, on the state level. “Congress, at a...
Hawaii recognized as first state to be tsunami and storm ready
Jan 23 2006 // The National Weather Service has declared Hawaii the first state in the nation to be tsunami- and storm-ready. Only 23 communities in the nation are tsunami-ready, according to David L. Johnson, director of the...
Arson suspected in Texas wildfires
Jan 22 2006 // Many of the wildfires that plagued Texas during the first half of January 2006 may have been started intentionally, according to the Texas Forest Service. Some 70 wildfires in Texas are thought to have been started by...
Allstate units agree to coverage checks sought after Ariz. wildfire
Jan 22 2006 // Two Allstate Insurance units have agreed to implement new procedures to re-evaluate coverage needs of homeowners-steps sought by Arizona regulators in the wake of consumer complaints after a devastating 2003 wildfire on...
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...
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...
11 Defendants Indicted on Domestic Terrorism Charges; Blamed for Arsons
Jan 20 2006 // Eleven defendants have been indicted on charges including arson and destruction of an energy facility for allegedly participating in a campaign of domestic terrorism in five western states on behalf of the extremist Earth...
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...
Swiss Re Revisits the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire
Jan 18 2006 // Swiss Re has released “A shake in insurance history — The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake,” to mark the centennial of the catastrophe. The reinsurer notes that it was “an event that altered the course...
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...
Treasury Clarifies Farm, Liability, Umbrella Issues Under Terrorism Reinsurance Program
Jan 18 2006 // Insurers that write monoline farm policies and incidental professional liability coverage may face additional work to clarify coverage for their insureds under the federal terrorism reinsurance program. During a conference...
Colo. Authorities Identify Five Suspects in Wildfire
Jan 18 2006 // Jefferson County, Colo., authorities said they were considering charges against five teenagers suspected of starting a fire that burned about 2,700 acres and destroyed two small buildings last week. The fire prompted...
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...
Calif. Commissioner Reminds Consumers to Update Disaster Plans on Northridge Earthquake Anniversary
Jan 17 2006 // Calif. Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi on Monday urged Californians to prepare for future emergencies, noting that the devastating Northridge earthquake, which struck twelve years ago today, left many unprepared...
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...
Ala. County Commissioners Threatened, Reverse Vote to Buy Terrorist Insurance
Jan 12 2006 // Two weeks after voting to spend $7,000 a year for terrorism insurance, commissioners in a rural Alabama county have responded to a more immediate threat: angry voters. The Clarke County Commission has voted unanimously to...
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...
Arson Alleged in Texas Wildfires
Jan 10 2006 // Texas Gov. Rick Perry has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the State Fire Marshal’s office of the Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Forest Service to...
