Insurance industry faced with major losses in 2012

insurance industry report

Swiss Re reports on insurance industry losses from 2012 The insurance industry faced massive losses due to natural disasters and man-made catastrophes in 2012, according to Swiss Re, one of the world’s leading reinsurance firms. Over the past two years, the insurance industry has been stricken with several catastrophic events. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and an ongoing financial crisis in Europe have all served as major stumbling blocks for the global insurance industry. According to Swiss Re, many of the companies operating in the industry are still fighting to recover from such…

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Insurance industry isn’t ready for what climate change has in store

insurance industry climate change

The damaging severe weather is becoming more frequent and more expensive in the U.S. Last year in the United States, there were 11 extreme weather events that struck various parts of the country each leaving a minimum of $1 billion worth of damages behind, as well as thousands upon thousands of claims to the insurance industry. Superstorm Sandy, alone, left behind economic losses of $50 billion, not to mention the loss of human life. That storm also brought with it a cost tens of billions to the insurance industry, particularly…

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Insurance industry may benefit from manufactured hailstorm

Insurance Industry Hail, tornado, wind research

Insurance industry to gain new insight on the risks of hailstorms The insurance industry may not be able to control the weather, but it does have the capability to replicate some natural disasters in order to better understand their impact on property. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, an organization devoted to researching the risks associated with natural disasters, has created a full-scale hailstorm inside of its laboratory located in South Carolina. Creating the hailstorm is part of the organization’s ongoing effort to understand the effects of natural…

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Tropical Cyclone Rusty to Deliver High Winds, Heavy Precipitation and Flooding to Coast of Western Australia

Tropical Cyclone Rusty

According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Tropical Cyclone Rusty formed only on Saturday, February 23, but grew rapidly and intensified due to… low wind shear (5-10 knots) and very warm waters off the northwestern coast of Australia (31-32° C). It is expected to intensify further as it approaches the coast as the upper level environment remains highly conducive for development. Rusty is expected to make landfall near Port Hedland around 6 p.m. WST on Wednesday Feb. 27 (5 a.m. EST, Wednesday 2/27) as a severe tropical cyclone-a Category 4…

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Homeowners insurance in Australia may see considerable increases

Australia Flood insurance homeowners

Some areas are being seen as higher risks for flooding, fires, and drought, among other perils. Australia is now experiencing some of the most fierce and extreme weather and natural events that have ever been recorded, causing many homeowners insurance customers to ask themselves whether they should expect to pay higher premiums in order to compensate from the increasing risks. The current summer in the country has been one of the most damaging single seasons on record. Many of the areas in the country faced scorching temperatures throughout the summer…

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