The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has released a statement reminding property owners in Southern California that the Santa Ana winds are bringing a serious risk of wildfires with them, and that certain precautions should be taken. The National Weather Service has announced that the region could be affected by another significant shove by the winds, which can gust at more than 60 miles per hour. According to an IBHS senior Scientist, Dr. Steve Quarles, “Santa Ana winds are generally warm and dry, creating tinderbox conditions, but…
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Report calls for more action from consumers to help mitigate the costs of natural disasters
This year has been host to a large number of natural disasters that have born a heavy price tag to the insurance industry. While natural disasters may not be happening more frequently, they are certainly happening in areas of dense population, making the damage they cause astronomical. Consumers often look to the insurance industry to provide protections against natural disasters, but the industry can only do so much. A new report from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School suggests that government policy, as well as consumer initiative, may significantly reduce…
Read MoreContinuous aftershocks plague New Zealand spells out bad news for insurers
Several months after a destructive earthquake struck New Zealand, the city of Christchurch is still plagued by violent aftershocks. According to Chris Ryan, head of the Insurance Council of New Zealand, the persistent aftershocks bode ill for the nation’s insurers. Ryan is warning citizens to prepare for dramatic changes coming to the insurance industry as many companies begin to see New Zealand as a high-risk nation. Many of the insurance companies operating in the nation, particularly property insurers have been ramping up rates in an effort to recoup their losses…
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