Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

RMS Releases “Fundamentally New” European Windstorm Model

May 30 2006 // Newark, Calif.-based Risk Management Solutions has launched “a fundamentally new platform for quantifying wind-related risk in 12 European countries,” said the announcement. “Meteorological modeling has...

Fla. Democrats Renew Calls to Fix Hurricane Insurance

May 26 2006 // Saying Floridians are “storming mad” about rising property insurance premiums, Democrats have renewed a call for lawmakers to do more on the issue, and warned that if they don’t, angry voters could take...

High Winds Fail to Blow Up New Mexico Desert Wildfires

May 25 2006 // A desert wildfire that has burned about 8,000 acres of New Mexico grass and brush remains uncontained Tuesday, but firefighters were pleased that high winds that fanned the blaze Monday did not blow the fire out of...

Crist Reaches $609,000 Settlement from Hurricane Price Gouging

May 25 2006 // A settlement has been reached with a North Carolina-based company, resolving price gouging allegations stemming from the 2004 hurricane season, according to Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist. Southeastern Restoration,...

Arkansans Urged to Prepare Now for Possible Earthquake

May 24 2006 // The time for Arkansans to prepare for an earthquake is now, federal and state emergency officials say. The United States Geological Survey considers Arkansas among the states with a “high earthquake risk”...

PIA of La. Stresses Preparation for 2006 Hurricane Season

May 24 2006 // Due to the upcoming start of Hurricane Season on June 1, the Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) of Louisiana launched a public awareness campaign that includes the following tips for insurance consumers to prepare for the...

Floridians Urged, Buy Tax-Free Supplies Now, Prepare for Hurricanes

May 24 2006 // Floridians are being urged to take advantage of the state’s “Hurricane Preparation Tax-Free Holiday,” which continues through June 1, and to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season by Tom Gallagher,...

Hurricanes Wrecked Many Retirement Dreams

May 22 2006 // Jim and Evelyn Burke’s Pensacola Bay, Fla. home provided a dream retirement for 13 years, evenings watching purple and pink sunsets on their private dock and mornings glimpsing dolphins frolicking outside their...

Coverage issues at core of Hurricane Katrina-related litigation

May 22 2006 // The amount of property damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Louisiana has been extensively reported, as has the fact that many people in those states did not have flood insurance coverage. As a result,...

Hurricane winds could be felt in professional liability markets

May 22 2006 // The professional liability market may be significantly affected by the increase in frequency and severity of hurricanes, causing greater rating agency scrutiny and changes to evaluation models. “The three recent...

Hurricane winds could be felt in professional liability markets

May 22 2006 // The professional liability market may be significantly affected by the increase in frequency and severity of hurricanes, causing greater rating agency scrutiny and changes to evaluation models. “The three recent...

Coverage issues at core of Hurricane Katrina-related litigation

May 22 2006 // The initial decisions from Hurricane Katrina lawsuits provide some comfort to both insurers and insureds and potential warnings to insurance agents. The amount of property damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi...

Allstate Dropping Windstorm Coverage in Texas Coastal Areas

May 22 2006 // In a move it says will “help protect its ability to meet future customer needs throughout Texas while maintaining a strong presence along the Texas coast,” Allstate Texas Llloyds announced it will phase out...

Fla. AG Crist Announces Hurricane Preparedness Policy

May 19 2006 // A “Prepare, Respond and Recover, Florida!’ plan for surviving the upcoming hurricane season has been announced by Charlie Crist, Florida Attorney General and a candidate for governor. Announcing the details of...

Florida Re-certifies Hurricane Model for the Ninth Time

May 19 2006 // EQECAT Inc. of Oakland, Calif., has had its hurricane modeling software re-certified by the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology for the ninth consecutive time, according to Tom Larsen, EQECAT senior...

Typhoon Chanchu Hits China Coast

May 18 2006 // Typhoon Chanchu came ashore on the Southern coast of the Chinese mainland early this morning, May 18, local time. The powerful storm, packing winds in excess of 100 mph (168 kph), has reportedly caused 11 deaths and...

Florida Certifies Hurricane Model for the Tenth Consecutive Year

May 17 2006 // The Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology has certified AIR Worldwide Corp.’s 2006 Hurricane Model. This marks the tenth consecutive year that AIR has met the rigorous standards of the...

Tropical Depression: Hurricane Linked to Long-Term Mental Distress

May 17 2006 // Florida State University sociologists in Tallahassee have found that some South Floridians who survived 1992’s Hurricane Andrew suffered mental health problems many years later, a finding that has led the researchers...

La. Bill Would Extend Time to File Hurricane Insurance Lawsuits

May 17 2006 // Addressing a looming insurance deadline that could affect thousands of homeowners and businesses, the Louisiana House of Representatives passed a bill to give insurance claimants an extra year to file a lawsuit over...

Complaints Lead to Probe of La. Insurers’ Hurricane Claims Handling

May 17 2006 // Lousiana Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon announced the Department of Insurance is set to begin market conduct examinations on two insurers, Allstate and St. Paul/Travelers. Donelon said he ordered the exams in...