Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Senate, House Panels Both Advance Terrorism Insurance Bills
Nov 16 2005 // The Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee each marked up legislation Wednesday to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) for two years. The Senate Banking Committee reported out S. 467 by...
CORRECTION: Brit Estimates Wilma Claims at $65 Million; Total Hurricane Losses at $316.5 Million
Nov 16 2005 // The original article contained a significant mathematical error. U.K.-based international insurer and reinsurer, Brit Insurance Holdings PLC, announced that claims arising from Hurricane Wilma, net of reinsurance...
FEMA Pushing Dec. 1 Motel Check-Out for 53,000 Hurricane Families
Nov 16 2005 // The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is moving to end its subsidies for hotel and motel rooms for 53,000 families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. On Dec. 1, 2005...
As House Prepares Terrorism Insurance Bill Today, Coalition Offers Support and Senate Readies Its Own
Nov 16 2005 // Business insurance consumers represented by the multi-industry Coalition to Insure Against Terrorism have expressed their support for federal terrorism insurance legislation that will be marked up by the House Committee on...
Several States Hit as Tornadoes Tear Up Midwest, Southeast
Nov 16 2005 // Tornadoes barreled across the Midwest and portions of the Southeast on Tuesday, knocking out electricity and damaging buildings in several states. The storms killed at least one person. Meteorologists told The Associated...
Major N.Y. Hurricane Would Cost $100 Billion, Warns Cat Model Firm AIR
Nov 16 2005 // A major hurricane making landfall in the New York City metropolitan area would result in approximately $50 billion of insured losses with total economic losses exceeding $100 billion, according to an expert testifying...
Big ‘I’ Throws Backing Behind House Terrorism Insurance Bill
Nov 15 2005 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) said it strongly supports H.R. 4314, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision Act, introduced late Monday by Subcommittee Chairman Richard...
Adjusters Call Iowa Tornado Damage ‘Equal to Andrew’
Nov 15 2005 // Insurance adjustors surveying damage from Saturday’s tornadoes in central Iowa say the devastation equals that of Hurricane Andrew that hit Florida in 1992, according to Associated Press. State Farm Insurance had 30...
Allianz Posts $934 Million Q3 Profit Despite Hurricane, Flood Losses
Nov 14 2005 // Germany’s Allianz had a very successful third quarter with net income up 70 percent to €794 million ($934 million) and €1.7 billion (2 billion) operating profit,” despite,” said the company’s...
La.’s Disaster Hurricane Unemployment Assistance Filing Deadline Draws Near
Nov 14 2005 // The Louisiana Department of Labor reported that time is running out for individuals who are eligible to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The deadline to file is...
Iowa Tornadoes Leave 1 Dead; Dozens of Homes Damaged
Nov 13 2005 // Nearly one week after killer tornadoes left more than 20 dead in Indiana, weekend tornadoes in Iowa killed at least one woman on Saturday and forced the evacuation of people from a college football game. The twisters hit...
House Committee to Offer 2-Year Terrorism Insurance Extension Next Week
Nov 11 2005 // The House Financial Service Committee has come up with what at least one group is calling a “workable” proposal to renew the federal terrorism insurance act for two years. The bill will be marked up by the...
Ala. Gov. Urges House Panel: During Natural Disasters, Give States Federal Money, Control
Nov 10 2005 // Alabama Gov. Bob Riley told a specially-formed House panel in Washington on Wednesday that Alabama could use more federal money and more flexibility when spending it to confront natural disasters. According to the Mobile...
Emergency Management Director Addresses Florida’s Hurricane Response Weaknesses
Nov 10 2005 // The failures that left thousands of Florida residents unprepared for Hurricane Wilma should be addressed by launching a new election-style marketing campaign, expanding the tax-free shopping week and beefing up...
Alabama DOI Predicts Price Increases; Expects 50,000 Hurricane Claims
Nov 10 2005 // More than 50,000 claims are expected in Alabama from hurricane damage according to Ragan Ingram, assistant insurance commissioner for the Alabama Department of Insurance. He said, however, that complete cost estimates...
Ind. Tornado Losses Top $10 Million
Nov 9 2005 // Preliminary estimates for insured losses arising from the surprise tornado that struck southern Indiana on Sunday stands at $10 million, according to the Insurance Institute of Indiana. Twenty-two people died and about 230...
Medical Examiner Attributes 25 Percent of Hurricane Deaths to Cleanup Efforts
Nov 8 2005 // Cleanup activities after hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 resulted in 25 percent of the 201 deaths registered according to Dr. Stephen Nelson, chairman of the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. Accidents from cleaning up,...
CPCU Society Annual Meeting Attendees Gain Insight at Hurricane Katrina Seminar
Nov 8 2005 // More than 130 chartered property casualty underwriters and their guests at the recent CPCU Society Annual Meeting and Seminars attended an exclusive seminar, “Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned.” The...
Ind. Gov. Declares Post-Tornado State of Emergency
Nov 8 2005 // Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels declared a statewide emergency on Monday and asked President George W. Bush for federal assistance for Hoosiers devastated by a tornado and severe storms that affected parts of Indiana during...
Lack of Electricity, Gasoline Slows Hurricane Wilma Recovery Efforts
Nov 7 2005 // Four days after Hurricane Wilma crossed southwest Florida and tore into South Florida, insurance agents in Naples and Miami told Insurance Journal they had not encountered the onslaught of claims they expected, but...