Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

Growing Skepticism Ignores Climate Change Facts; Max Merges with Harbor Point; Terrorist Pirates Threaten the Malacca Strait

Mar 22 2010 // The Climate Change debate rolls on, but real decisions and effective actions remain elusive. Hardly a week goes by without a new report or study on the changes affecting the atmosphere, but the general public appears to be...

Terrorism Coverage in the Everyday World

Mar 22 2010 // Because of the threshold amount, many acts of domestic terrorism may not be certified. Even under the TRIA, insurers may exclude coverage for loss resulting from ‘non-certified’ acts of terrorism. After the...

First Tsunami Awareness Week: States To Test Communication System

Mar 22 2010 // In the wake of last month’s tsunami in Chile and less than six months after a tsunami hit American Samoa — both events that resulted in loss of life and property — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

Volcano Erupts in Iceland, Hundreds Evacuated; Airspace Closed

Mar 22 2010 // Authorities evacuated hundreds of people after a volcano erupted beside a glacier in southern Iceland, the country’s civil protection agency said Sunday. The eruption occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday (19:30 EDT)...

Chubb Expands Its Private Wildfire Protection Network Into Texas

Mar 17 2010 // The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies has expanded its wildfire defense services to homeowner policyholders in Texas. In addition to providing wildfire education and property risk assessments, the program responds to...

Moody’s Changes Calif. Earthquake Authority’s Bond Rating to Negative

Mar 16 2010 // Moody’s Investors Service announced it has affirmed the A3 rating on the California Earthquake Authority’s 6.169 percent fixed rate Series 2006-B revenue bonds (mature July 20, 2016) and changed the rating...

Windstorm Xynthia Losses Near $2 Billion: EQECAT Update

Mar 15 2010 //

Forecasters Predict Active Hurricane Season

Mar 15 2010 // Meteorologists are predicting an active 2010 hurricane season with above-normal threats on the U.S. coastline. Hurricane Forecaster Joe Bastardi, with the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center, said Wednesday that he predicts...

Calif. Earthquake Authority CEO Testifies In Support of Cat Insurance Bill

Mar 11 2010 // California Earthquake Authority CEO Glenn Pomeroy testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity and Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government...

Powerful Tornadoes in Arkansas Damage Homes; Injuries Reported

Mar 11 2010 // Three powerful tornadoes touched down in Arkansas on March 10, damaging homes and injuring at least four people, Risk Management Solutions (RMS) has reported. According to National Weather Service, the first of the three...

PartnerRe Gives Loss Estimates for Chile Quake, Windstorm Xynthia

Mar 9 2010 // Bermuda-based PartnerRe Ltd has issued preliminary estimates of expected claims from the earthquake in Chile and European Windstorm Xynthia. Total insured industry losses from the M8.8 earthquake in Chile, which hit on...

Hawaii Senate Committee OKs Using Hurricane Relief Fund to End Furloughs

Mar 8 2010 // Hawaii’s Senate Ways and Means Committee has advanced a bill that would use money from the state’s Hurricane Relief Fund to end school furlough days. Senate Bill 2124 notes that reductions and restrictions to...

Uncertainty Pervades the Terrorism Insurance Market

Mar 8 2010 // Threats Rise and TRIA Funding Comes Under Attack The threat of terrorism in the United States is rising, but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when top U.S. officials warn of...

Uncertainty Pervades the Terrorism Insurance Market

Mar 7 2010 // As Threats Rise, TRIA Funding Comes Under Attack The threat of domestic terrorism is rising, but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when top U.S. officials warn of an imminent...

Uncertainty Pervades the Terrorism Insurance Market

Mar 7 2010 // Threats On Rise and TRIA Funding Faces Possible Cutback; Standalone Market Could Gain The threat of terrorism in the U.S. is rising but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when...

Florida Cabinet Delays Hurricane Fund Assessments

Mar 7 2010 // The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund needs $710 million to continue to pay claims still coming in from 2005’s Hurricane Wilma but it is going to have to wait to assess policyholders to get those funds. The Florida...

Hurricane Forecasters Promise Earlier Warnings

Mar 7 2010 // The National Hurricane Center has vowed it will begin issuing storm watches and warnings about half a day sooner in the biggest change to its warning system in decades. When a storm is approaching land, forecasters will...

Terrorism and Intentional Acts: Austin Plane Crash Raises Coverage Questions

Mar 7 2010 // IRS Worker’s Widow Files Suit to Determine Insurance Coverage Austin, Texas, Police Chief Art Acevedo stopped short of calling the crashing of a small plane into a commercial office building in northwest Austin on...

A ‘Great Earthquake’ Strikes Chile; Insurance Doesn’t Pose Systemic Risks to the Economy; Berkshire Buys More Munich Re

Mar 7 2010 // February was a short month, but a deadly one. In addition to a massive earthquake in Chile, the Northeastern U.S. was hit by three blizzards; floods and mudslides ravaged the Portuguese island of Madeira and beleaguered...

Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake Shakes Taiwan; AIR, EQECAT Analysis

Mar 5 2010 // Catastrophe risk modeling firms AIR Worldwide and EQECAT have both issued bulletins analyzing the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck south central Taiwan Thursday morning at 8:20 a.m. local time. AIR noted that the...