States want to know how the insurance industry will react to climate change

After two years of devastating storms throughout the U.S., many states are wondering if the insurance industry is taking the proper steps to prepare for what the future may hold. Legislators and regulators in California, Washington and New York are now pressuring insurers for answers on what they are doing to adapt to climate change. This marks one of the first times state officials have clearly identified climate change as an issue, something the insurance industry has been doing for years now. Next month, numerous insurance executives, experts and regulators…

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Paradiso Insurance launches social media campaign to raise funds for tornado relief

In an effort to take advantage of the rampant popularity of social media, Paradiso Insurance, an insurance group based in Connecticut, has launched a new campaign aimed at helping the American Red Cross. Using social media has become a popular tool for the insurance industry recently. The industry often uses social media as a way to investigate claims as well as connect with customers. Paradiso believes that social media is a good platform to attract new consumers and is attempting to bolster its presence online. As such, the company is…

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Report highlights the potential dangers of rising sea levels

A new report from the non-profit research organization Climate Central suggests that millions of U.S. citizens are at risk of coastal flooding. The report posits that changes in the climate will result in storm surges and rising sea levels. Rising water could put nearly 5 million Americans at danger of floods by 2030. The report indicates that by 2050, flooding caused by rising sea levels will be much more widespread. This could cause serious problems for the insurance industry that has been battling a higher frequency of natural disasters over…

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Fannie Mae takes charge on forced-place insurance, announces changing of rules

The issue of force-placed insurance has been thrust into the limelight this week by the Federal National Mortgage Association, more commonly known as Fannie Mae. Forced-placed insurance is a practice that some insurance companies and banks utilize to force homeowners to purchase expensive insurance policies. In New York, insurance regulators have been investigating the issue in the local industry. Spurred by state, federal and consumer attention, Fannie Mae has announced that it will be changing the rules concerning forced-placed insurance. For one, the government-sponsored enterprise will be overseeing forced-placed policies…

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Florida lawmakers attempt to manage problematic and controversial solution to Citizens Property Insurance problem

In Florida, lawmakers have been working on fixing the problems of the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Their efforts have yielded few results and now legislation that could help the program recover from its massive debt has hit a roadblock. Legislators have mostly been focused on reducing the number of people receiving coverage from Citizens by having private insurance companies take on more policies. The Legislature has approved an amendment to the bill that would have accomplished this, House Bill 245, which makes transferring policies more difficult. Now, insurers must…

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