Live Insurance News

2017 catastrophes will send global insurance and reinsurance losses over $100 billion

September 29, 2017September 30, 2017 H. Cutner

hurricane harvey damage global insurance and reinsurance

Fitch forecasts showed that this could be a record year for losses and they could be as great as $190 billion. Catastrophe global insurance and reinsurance losses are likely to break previous records, says Fitch Ratings. Its current predictions suggest that losses could be greater than $100 billion and may even rise to nearly $190 billion. Should the damage from Hurricane Maria be as great as expected, it could lead to rating downgrades. Fitch cautioned that the hurricane season is only just past half over and global insurance and reinsurance…

Rising extreme weather risk places property insurance in uncomfortable position

September 6, 2017September 4, 2017 Nordstrom

extreme weather risks trend insurance industry

An increase in severe storms, flooding, wind, wildfires and other disasters are driving claims skyward. Flooding and wildfires are making massive headlines this summer and this extreme weather risk is placing considerable pressure on the property insurance industry. These types of disaster are spiking the number and cost of business and homeowners insurance claims. In fact, the extreme weather risk may have a greater economic toll on the insurance industry than any other industry in the world. Though insurers have been increasingly aware of the threat of climate change with…

Insurance drones will be broadly deployed by Hurricane Harvey claims adjusters

September 4, 2017September 2, 2017 Logan B.

The use of these unmanned aerial vehicles has been adopted by Allstate, State Farm and other major property insurers. Property insurance companies in Texas and Louisiana, such as Allstate and State Farm, are preparing to use their insurance drones to survey the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. This insurance technology is expected to have an important role in inspecting commercial and residential damage. The insurance drones will first take to the air early this week, once the last of Hurricane Harvey makes its way out of the regions. If all goes…

New Texas insurance law may make things harder for Hurricane Harvey victims

August 31, 2017August 30, 2017 G. Turner

As the very first steps for recovery begin, HB 1774, signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) becomes effective. A Texas insurance law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott back in May, will become effective tomorrow. This, at a time when Hurricane Harvey victims are taking the very first steps toward understanding what they can do to recover. Houston, the fourth most populous city in the United States, may have years of recovery ahead. The Texas insurance law will be changing the way claims lawsuits are handled when they…

Hurricane Harvey damage to be among “top 10 most costly” for insurers, JPMorgan

August 30, 2017August 29, 2017 Logan B.

The financial services company told its clients that the costs could be between $10 billion and $20 billion. JPMorgan informed its clients that the Hurricane Harvey damage left behind in Texas could be as high as $10 billion to $20 billion. This would place it among the “10 most costly” hurricanes to make landfall in the United States, said the company. The storm first struck Texas last weekend and was a Category 4 at the time, before being downgraded. Gradually, it wound itself down to tropical storm status, though it…

Florida hurricane insurance preparation was effective, say officials

December 6, 2016December 6, 2016 Marc

The state has said that insurers were responsive to their customers because they were ready. State officials have said that Florida hurricane insurance companies have been responsive to customers. This responsiveness to the damage from two hurricanes this year was the result of preparation. Those hurricanes caused hundreds of millions of damage in that state alone. These were the conclusions shared by the Florida Division of Consumer Services. That division received only 375 calls regarding the way Florida hurricane insurance claims were handled. When taking into consideration that Hurricane Matthew…

Hurricane flood insurance coverage not carried by many Matthew victims

October 17, 2016October 14, 2016 Logan B.

Many of the homeowners who experienced damage from flooding don’t have the necessary coverage. Many victims of Hurricane Matthew who have never had a drop of water in their homes before are finding themselves underwater without hurricane flood insurance. Communities well inland and far from flood plains were rescued by firefighters in boats. Though the concern had been seawater driven ashore, it was rain and runoff that caused considerable flooding. Drainage ditches were overwhelmed, sending rising waters into the homes of people without hurricane flood insurance. For many of them,…