Live Insurance News

Regulators finalize new flood insurance rule

June 26, 2015June 24, 2015 Nordstrom

Finalized rule places new requirements on banks Federal regulators have finalized a rule that will affect flood insurance policyholders. The rule requires banks to hold flood insurance premiums, associated fees, and loans on property located in flood zones in escrow. This rule will go into effect next years and banks will hold payments in escrow on “residential improved” properties as well as mobile homes. The finalized rule has been clarified to make it easier to understand. One of the clarifications involves the definition of detached structures that are excepted from…

Insurance claims for Texas storm damage could be in the billions

June 4, 2015June 2, 2015 Julie Campbell

texas flood insurance insurance claims hurricane ike 2008

The industry has predicted that when the spring flooding eases, there will be massive devastation left behind. The spring storms that have been relentlessly tormenting Texas will soon be sending their costs over to insurers as policyholders begin to make their insurance claims for the flooding and other types of damage that have been left behind. The damage estimates have shown that there will be billions of dollars in insured damages. Those estimates include only the types of expense that will likely be covered by insurance claims. The total damage…

Flood insurance rates to skyrocket in the US

April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 Nordstrom

Homeowners will be paying more for their flood protection this year Millions of homeowners in the United States could see their flood insurance rates skyrocket this year due to provisions of a relatively new legislation that have gone into effect this month. The legislation was meant to address the financial issues of the National Flood Insurance Program, which has been crippled by massive debt for some time. This year, the legislation allows flood insurance rates to increase in order to help the program recover from its financial problems. New provisions…

Insurance news still being made by Superstorm Sandy with criminal probe

January 26, 2015January 24, 2015 G. Turner

An investigation has now been launched by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is now making insurance news by opening a criminal probe into widespread accusations that have been made by the victims of Hurricane Sandy, who have said that their claims for flood damage have been rejected by their insurers as a result of engineering reports that were falsified. Three lawsuits have been filed by homeowners insurance customers in federal court, against the insurers. This insurance news involves at least three lawsuits in…

Polar vortex highlights the need for flood insurance

March 13, 2014March 11, 2014 S.Vagus

Warming temperatures could spark floods as snow melts throughout the US Winter is coming to an end and that means that the problems caused by the polar vortex may soon spark new disasters. The polar vortex has sparked many problems throughout the U.S., dealing damage to properties, vehicles, and the country’s infrastructure. With winter coming to a close, some of the issues involving the polar vortex may become easier to resolve. Warming temperatures means that the snow that the climatic phenomenon has brought to the country is beginning to melt.…

Understanding flood insurance in the US

January 26, 2014January 25, 2014 Note From The Editor

Flood protection is a problematic issue Flood insurance has become a strange subject in the U.S. Many homeowners are unaware of flood protection, but for those living in coastal regions of the country this protection is mandatory. Private insurers do not typically offer flood protection because of the costly nature of natural disasters and how often these disasters can cause floods in certain parts of the country. As such, the only place that most homeowners can find flood protection is through the National Flood Insurance Program. Receiving protection from this…

Natural disasters and insurance

December 14, 2013 Note From The Editor

Disasters have an impact on the insurance industry Natural disasters do not only affect a certain type of person; they also have an impact on the insurance industry. It can be difficult for people to see the impact that catastrophic events have on insurers due to a general disdain for the industry as a whole. The most common response an insurer has to natural disasters, however, in the long run it does raise rates. This is something that typically attracts a great deal of attention from policyholders of all kinds. Many…