Wildfires roared across a swath of Western Australia on Wednesday, razing almost 40 homes and sending hundreds of people fleeing for their lives, officials and witnesses said. At least three people were injured. Two major blazes burned out of control …
A report from Munich Re confirms that losses from natural catastrophes “were far lower in 2009 than in 2008 due to the absence on the whole of major catastrophes and a very benign North Atlantic hurricane season.” However, the reinsurer …
Swiss Re has concluded that, despite the unusually quiet 2009 hurricane season, “overall natural catastrophe losses have increased significantly over time and are expected to grow further. “The premium for our book of natural catastrophe covers reached $1.8 billion. Due …
Property owners insured in the Mississippi wind pool may soon find some relief from rising premium costs with the transfer of $19 million from the Mississippi Insurance Department to the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association, the official name for the wind …
More Cedar Rapids homeowners are accepting buyout offers for their flood-damaged properties. Officials say 17 more homeowners have signed offers to have the city buy their properties, which were heavily damaged in the flood of 2008. That brings to 45 …
Five years after a Sumatra Indonesia tsunami killed 230,000 people, officials say that more communities are taking the threat seriously, implementing warning systems and understanding that swift action is needed if a threat arises. Since that tsunami devastated communities around …
A massive undersea earthquake is long overdue beneath the Mentawai islands in Indonesia and could trigger another deadly tsunami, say scientists mapping one of the world’s most quake-prone zones. Unlike the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed around 226,000 people, …
The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) has initiated a countrywide filing of a new earthquake rating plan under its Homeowners Program. The earthquake plan, which consists of self-contained manual supplements, is available for use by any homeowners insurer, including …
During a typical year, Jones residents will feel one or two earthquakes. This year there have been 25 since March, and all of them have been felt, according to the Oklahoma Geological Survey. “I can tell you what’s going on, …
Scientists have released updated tsunami maps pinpointing California coasts vulnerable to giant waves generated by an undersea earthquake. Previous hazard maps only covered select coastal communities and focused on flooding risks from locally occurring temblors. The second-generation maps, released Thursday …
