The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) not only is dealing with a leaky nuclear power reactor but business owners who have been evacuated from areas around the damaged Fukushima plant want compensation. Most of them have been unable to return to their homes to get work tools or supplies, and have been living in shelters since the evacuation took place. Since nuclear damage is not a covered peril under most insurance plans, these businesses have been left on their own to manage. A group of twenty people, made the trip…
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Japan Catastrophe 2011: The Wake Up Call
After seeing the devastation from last month’s earthquake and tsunami in Northeast Japan, officials in Tokyo are re- evaluating their current disaster plan. The huge 9.0 quake on March 11th that occurred over 200 miles from Japans capital made them realize they weren’t prepared for the worst-case situation. Japan has been working for over 40 years to make their country safer from devastating earthquakes. Earthquake engineering is a normal part of the construction process in Japan. City leaders were confident they had prepared for worse-case scenarios; until the quake…
Read MoreReinsurance company reports market strength despite major disasters
Willis Re, the reinsurance division of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), has released their stimulating report “Shaken and Stirring”. Stirring is an understatement. The report shows that with the devastation in Japan, New Zealand, Chile and the Australian floods is still not enough to bring a hard market into play. The report finds that there has been rate increases on Natural Catastrophe Excess of Loss of between 5 and 50 %, but the recent massive earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand’s South Island are not significant to push market-wide pricing up.…
Read MoreAFLAC, strong ties to Japan business
As the numbers keep rising on the estimate of losses in Japan, so do the growing concerns regarding the financial stability of insurance companies that were heavily vested there. One company, in particular, had at least three-quarters of their overall business in Japan. AFLAC, a top performing, Fortune 500 company, insures two of the largest insurance buyers in the world; the United States, and Japan. AFLAC sells supplemental health (GAP) insurance, life insurance and cancer insurance. Even though they don’t have property coverage in Japan, when the Earthquake and Tsunami…
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