Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

A Hurricane Season of Discontent; Lessons Learned in 2004

Sep 22 2004 // Prior to 2004, Florida had gone for five years without a significant hurricane. So it is of little surprise that the onslaught of this year’s three major hurricanes has caught all of us in the insurance industry a...

AIR Releases 2004 U.S. Storm, Terrorism Models

Sep 20 2004 // AIR Worldwide Corp. announced the release of its 2004 U.S. hurricane, earthquake, severe thunderstorm and terrorism models. The updated models reflect the latest scientific and engineering research into these perils, as...

Hurricanes Equal Crunch Time for Reinsurers

Sep 20 2004 // High-tech charts and up-to-the-minute data meticulously track Hurricane Frances as employees run storm simulations that pop out specific damage estimates for certain zip codes. The office is not run by a federal disaster...

Hurricanes Mean Crunch Time for Reinsurance Industry

Sep 20 2004 // High-tech charts and up-to-the-minute data meticulously track Hurricane Frances as employees run storm simulations that pop out specific damage estimates for certain zip codes. This office in Atlanta is not run by a...

Hurricane Spin-down Coverage

Sep 20 2004 // Nuts & Bolts: ACE USA, the U.S.-based retail operating division of the ACE Group of Companies, introduced hurricane spin-down insurance that can be used by the chemical process industry to help reduce the financial...

Safeco Estimates Losses from Hurricane Frances

Sep 20 2004 // Seattle-based Safeco announced that its pretax catastrophe losses stemming from Hurricane Frances are estimated at $28 million. This figure represents the estimated losses both from claims received through Sept. 20, 2004...

PCI Claims Hurricane Ivan Proves Need for Tougher Fla. Building Code

Sep 20 2004 // Last month’s decision by the Florida Building Commission to add more stringent wind provisions to the Florida Building Code was reportedly especially perceptive in the wake of three – and possibly four –...

IAIABC Panel Takes Fresh Look at Terrorism

Sep 20 2004 // In a code orange New York, the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) took a fresh look at terrorism and its relation to workers’ compensation at its recent 90th Annual...

Ivan Not Finished With U.S.; I.I.I. Reports on Florida Hurricane Damage

Sep 18 2004 // While he lost his hurricane designation several days ago, what was Hurricane Ivan continued to bring misery to the United States, spawning more tornadoes and drenching areas from Georgia up through Pennsylvania in the last...

RMS: Potential Losses for Hurricane Ivan, $2 to $7 Billion

Sep 17 2004 // Risk Management Solutions (RMS), reported that insured losses from Hurricane Ivan in the U.S. are likely to range from $2 to $7 billion, based on updated information on landfall location and wind speeds. Additional insured...

Fitch Estimates Ivan May Become Second Costliest Hurricane For U.S. P/C Insurers

Sep 17 2004 // Chicago-based Fitch Ratings has issued some preliminary comments on the extent of the losses from Hurricane Ivan’s destructive rampage through Alabama, Florida and other Gulf Coast States. Fitch noted that...

Florida CFO Reports Progress in Emergency Response Efforts in Wake of Hurricane Ivan

Sep 17 2004 // Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, who also serves as the State Fire Marshal, on Friday offered an update on search and rescue efforts and thanked emergency responders for their crucial, life-saving...

Lessons Learned From Hurricanes Passed on to Owners Set to Rebuild

Sep 16 2004 // State and federal disaster recovery officials are urging owners who are rebuilding after hurricanes Charley and Frances to consider taking steps now to minimize damage in future storms. “There is no better time than...

Safeco Team Deployed for Hurricane Ivan

Sep 16 2004 // Seattle-based Safeco’s National Catastrophe Team is deploying additional claims professionals to Alabama and surrounding states to aide customers recovering from Hurricane Ivan. Safeco claims professionals are...

Hurricanes Have Travelers Flocking to Insurance Hotline

Sep 15 2004 // As Hurricane Ivan approaches the southeastern U.S. from the Caribbean, anxious travelers have the phones ringing at Travel Guard International. “As the hurricane approaches, causing evacuations and cancelled flights,...

The Allstate Foundation Extends Portion of Fund to Help Hurricane Victims

Sep 14 2004 // The Allstate Foundation will extend $200,000 from the $1 million fund established at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation to reportedly aid in the rebuilding and recovery of victims of the recent hurricanes. The...

S&P Concerned by Hurricane Ivan; “Challenges Insurers’ Predictive Models”

Sep 13 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a bulletin indicating that it “views the approach of Hurricane Ivan, which is projected to be moving toward Florida, with concern.” Reinstatement...

Disaster Assistance Option for Insured Property Owners Following Hurricanes

Sep 13 2004 // People who have applied for assistance for hurricanes Charley or Frances may still be able to get help even if they got a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) telling them they are not eligible at...

Fla. Storm Victims Facing Double Deductibles from Hurricanes Charley, Frances

Sep 10 2004 // Florida CFO Tom Gallagher released a statement this week as the Sunshine State took a hit from Hurricane Frances, meantime keeping a watchful eye out for Hurricane Ivan, which was possibly headed for the Florida Keys by...

PCI: Hurricanes Prove Commercial Insurance Value

Sep 9 2004 // The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America has issued a bulletin, which notes: “Business owners who debate the need for insurance coverage can learn a valuable lesson from Hurricanes Charley and...