Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Washington’s Proposed Wildfire Smoke Designed to Protect Workers from Dangers
May 19 2023 // The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries filed proposed permanent wildfire smoke rules and launched a formal process for public input designed to protect people who work outdoor jobs like construction,...
Texas Windstorm Insurance Group Getting Update on Cat Funding for 2023 Season
May 15 2023 // The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Board of Directors will meet at the Austin Marriott South on May 23 at 9 a.m. In addition to the TWIA board’s consideration of routine association updates, the board will...
Tornado Hit South Texas Near The Gulf Coast, Damaging Dozens of Homes
May 15 2023 // One person was killed and a curfew was imposed after a powerful tornado tore through a community near the southern tip of Texas before dawn Saturday, damaging dozens of residences and knocking down power lines, authorities...
5.5M Earthquake, Large Aftershock Hit Northern
May 15 2023 // Earthquakes have rattled a large area of Northern California this week, but only minor damage was immediately reported. A magnitude 5.5 quake centered in the Sierra Nevada’s Lake Almanor resort region struck at 4:19...
New Mexico Officials Say FEMA Delays Create Mistrust Among Wildfire Victims
May 12 2023 // Members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation are criticizing federal emergency managers for missing deadlines as residents seek recovery assistance following the largest wildfire in the state’s recorded...
Update: Wildfires Rage Across Canada’s Gas Heartland, Cutting Production
May 8 2023 // Wildfires raging across western Canada forced the evacuation of 30,000 residents and cut at least 234,000 barrels a day of oil and gas production as companies shut down wells and pipelines. A total of 100 blazes were...
People Moves: Beazley’s Cyber Security Unit Lodestone Appoints Kizziah as CEO; Howden Tiger Fac Names Warne From Inigo to Lead Terrorism & Political Violence
May 8 2023 // This edition of International People Moves details appointments at cybersecurity firm Lodestone Security and the broker Howden Tiger Fac. A summary of these new hires follows here. Beazley’s Cyber Security Unit...
Southern California Got Snow, Rain, Tornado in Spring Storm
May 5 2023 // An unseasonably cold storm coated Southern California mountains with snow, dumped heavy rain elsewhere and spawned a small tornado Thursday as spring struggled to shake the grip of an exceptionally wet winter. More than 4...
Allstate Posts Loss With ‘Exceptionally’ High Catastrophe Costs
May 4 2023 // Allstate Corp. posted a bigger first-quarter loss than analysts expected as higher premiums failed to offset rising auto costs and soaring catastrophe losses. The company reported a $342 million loss on an adjusted basis...
Lawmakers from Western States Want More Done to Confront Wildfire Crisis
May 2 2023 // Lawmakers from several western states want the U.S. Forest Service to do more to address a wildfire crisis that they say will surely destroy more landscapes, communities and livelihoods as long-term drought persists around...
Recovery Continues After Tornado Hits Palm Beach Gardens
May 2 2023 // A tornado touched down in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Saturday as a powerful storm system brought intense rain and powerful winds to the state, overturning cars, damaging homes and snapping tree branches. The National...
Virginia Beach Tornado Causes $15M in Residential Damage; No Reports of Injuries
May 1 2023 // The Virginia Beach community in southeastern Virginia was hit by a tornado on Sunday, April 30, just minutes before 6:00 pm. City Manager Patrick Duhaney declared a state of emergency. Officials said there were no reported...
Wildfires in Alaska? Climate Change Sparks Disaster Fears
May 1 2023 // Research on a flat spot for air evacuations. Talk of old-style civil defense sirens to warn of fast-moving wildfires. Hundreds of urban firefighters training in wildland firefighting techniques while snow still blankets...
Mississippi Tire Plant Partly Covered, Will Reopen in June After Tornado
May 1 2023 // A northeast Mississippi tire plant that was damaged by an April tornado is expected to restart production in June. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. said this week that it was likely to take several months for its Cooper Tire...
Lawsuit Seeks to Recover $3M Invested in Louisiana Hurricane-Damage Lawsuits
Apr 28 2023 // A restoration contractor that helped finance an effort by McClenny Moseley & Associates to file thousands of hurricane-damage claims in Louisiana wants its $3 million investment back. Access Restoration Services US...
$1.6B Trial Starts Against Utility Over Fatal 2020 Oregon Wildfires
Apr 28 2023 // PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A trial connected to a $1.6 billion class action lawsuit against utility PacifiCorp over the catastrophic Labor Day 2020 wildfires in Oregon started Tuesday in Portland. The fires in 2020 killed...
A Record Start to the 2023 U.S. Tornado Season
Apr 27 2023 // The U.S. has experienced a record number of tornadoes in the first three months of 2023 according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center (NWS SPC), delivering an active start to the...
New Mexicans Affected by Last Year’s Wildfire Get FEMA Aid
Apr 27 2023 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office, charged with administering nearly $4 billion in emergency financial aid for survivors of last year’s record-breaking wildfire in New...
People Moves: QBE Nabs Davis From Beazley to Head Cyber; Dhillon Head of Markel’s Catastrophe, Exposure Management
Apr 26 2023 // QBE Names Davis to Newly Created Position: Global Head of Cyber QBE Insurance Group Limited has appointed Serene Davis to newly the created position global head of cyber. Davis will begin working in the role on May...
Catastrophe Losses Hinder Chubb Q1 Net Income
Apr 26 2023 // First quarter net income at Chubb Ltd. fell several percentage points to about $1.9 billion as catastrophe losses evened gains in premiums written. P&C underwriting income was about $1.21 billion, down 5.5% from about...
