Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
AIR Worldwide Comments on Central Italy’s 2 Powerful Earthquakes
Oct 28 2016 // The two powerful earthquakes that hit central Italy on Oct. 26 are considered aftershocks of the deadly Aug. 24, M6.2 earthquake that occurred near Teramo, which about 50 miles south-southeast of the latest temblors,...
Coastal Wetlands Found to Reduce Hurricane Property Damage by 10%-30%
Oct 27 2016 // Coastal wetlands provide important natural protection during hurricanes. How much? Natural habitats reduced property damage by about $625 million in the Northeast during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a new study supported by...
FEMA Extends Filing Deadline for Florida NFIP Claims from Hurricane Hermine
Oct 27 2016 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended the deadline for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders to file claims from Hurricane Hermine. “After productive discussions between...
Upcoming Mississippi Tornado Season Looks to be ‘Unpredictable’
Oct 26 2016 // Mississippians are preparing for the tornado season to begin in November. The Clarion-Ledger reports forecasters are looking at shifts in weather conditions – such as El Nino and La Nina – as indicators that this...
AIG Increases Property Terrorism Capacity to $1B
Oct 26 2016 // American International Group, Inc. (AIG) has raised its property terrorism insurance limits globally to $1 billion. The larger capacity is available to clients on a stand-alone basis or as expanded limits within...
Foresters Say New Hampshire Drought Has Increased Threat of Wildfires
Oct 26 2016 // Drought conditions are making it harder to fight wildfires and New Hampshire residents should be vigilant about the increased threat, state forestry and fire officials say. Conditions range from abnormally dry to extreme...
1.8 Million Western U.S. Homes at Extreme or High Wildfire Risk, Report Shows
Oct 26 2016 // Things haven’t gone as bad as they could have so far in 2016 coming off last year’s record-setting wildfire season in the Western U.S., according to a report out today detailing wildfire risks to properties in...
Damage to South Carolina Crops from Hurricane Matthew May Rival 2015 Flooding
Oct 24 2016 // South Carolina Department of Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers says crops in some areas of the state may have sustained as much damage from Hurricane Matthew as they did from last year’s historic flooding. The...
Willis Re and SpatialKey Partner to Launch European Windstorm App
Oct 24 2016 // Willis Re, the reinsurance division of Willis Towers Watson, has collaborated with SpatialKey Inc. to launch a new European Windstorm app. “This powerful new event response application integrates data from multiple...
Typhoon Haima Hits China as Weaker Storm; AIR Worldwide Comments
Oct 21 2016 // Typhoon Haima made landfall in China after it brushed past Hong Kong, forcing the city’s stock exchange to cancel trading for the day and airlines to suspend flights. The Hong Kong Observatory said it will consider...
Georgia Estimates $90M in Insured Losses From Hurricane Matthew
Oct 21 2016 // The Georgia Department of Insurance (GADOI) has released preliminary estimates of insured losses in the state from Hurricane Matthew. In a statement issued Thursday, GADOI said more than 30,000 claims have been reported...
Typhoon Haima Batters Philippines; Weakened Storm Heads to China
Oct 20 2016 // More than 90,000 people were evacuated after Typhoon Haima left vast areas of the Philippines flooded and without electricity as the strongest storm to hit the nation this year heads toward China. Haima, a Category 5 super...
Florida Hurricane Fund Still Strong Despite Storms
Oct 20 2016 // Florida’s streak of dodging hurricanes is over, but the state-created fund that helps private insurers pay out claims after a storm remains in strong financial shape. Anne Bert, the chief operating officer of the...
Minor Flooding Follows Downpour in Nevada Wildfire Area
Oct 19 2016 // Fears of flooding are dissipating after rainfall helped quell a wind-whipped wildfire in Northern Nevada that destroyed 22 homes and 17 other structures in the Washoe Valley north of Carson City. Sierra Front Fire...
Philippines Readies for Super Typhoon Haima – in 2nd Storm in a Week
Oct 19 2016 // The Philippines raised the storm alert for two northern provinces to its highest level as authorities moved people to safer ground, canceled work and suspended flights before Super Typhoon Haima is due to make landfall as...
Volunteers in Oregon Gather to Assess Damage from Tornado on Coast
Oct 18 2016 // Volunteers who worked to keep residents safe when a tornado ripped through a coastal Oregon town are now assessing the damage. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that no one was hurt or killed by the tornado that ripped...
Parts of Virginia Beach Face Long Recovery from Hurricane Matthew
Oct 18 2016 // For some neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, the long recovery from flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew is just beginning. On Saturday, emergency management crews and other officials toured several communities where homes...
Slow Pace of Insurance Payouts, Rebuilding Angers Alberta Wildfire Victims
Oct 18 2016 // Some five months after the wildfires that devastated Fort McMurray were extinguished, anger over red tape and the slow pace of insurance payouts and permit issuance is flaring in the remote northern Canadian city. More...
A.M. Best: Damage From Hurricane Matthew Won’t Affect Most Insurer Ratings
Oct 18 2016 // A.M. Best does not anticipate a significant number of rating actions related to Hurricane Matthew, as most rated insurance carriers have sufficient capital and appropriate reinsurance programs in place to effectively...
Earthquake Policy Sales up, and May Continue to Rise Following ShakeOut
Oct 17 2016 // Powered by InsuranceJournal.tv It’s still a few days until the annual Great ShakeOut earthquake drills during which people in homes, schools, and organizations practice what to do during earthquakes – the events...
