Hurricane Irene expected to birth higher insurance premiums in the East Coast

Hurricane Irene has come and gone but the storms effects may linger for several years. To date, the storm accounts for an estimated $7 billion in damages throughout the East Coast, making it one of the most costly natural disasters to strike the nation. The costs of damage are expected to influence property insurers who have long been leery of offering coverage to homes and businesses in risk prone areas. Consumers may be seeing higher premiums this year as a result of the hurricane. Higher premiums have been the theme…

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Hurricane Irene threatens to make landfall in the U.S. this week

The first major hurricane of the season has manifested in Irene, and it has been gaining strength as it surges toward the Bahamas. Weather trackers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting that Irene may make landfall as soon as Thursday. The hurricane has been growing in strength since its formation early Tuesday and has yet to show signs of slowing. Florida will be the first state that is hit by Irene should the hurricane reach the U.S., but both South Carolina and North Carolina will bear the…

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FEMA warns of flooding and last minute insurance may be too late

Hurricane season has arrived and there have already been reports of a hurricane raging in the Pacific. Early Friday, the National Hurricane Center announced that tropical storm Adrian had graduated to a full-fledged hurricane and was heading toward land. It is expected to reach the coasts of Mexico within the next day. On the other side of the country, in the Gulf Coast, concerns are rising as to what disasters this season could bring. Along the Mississippi River, the danger of flooding due to storms is all too real. Storms…

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Texas windstorm insurance legislation inches closer to becoming law

Texas lawmakers have been toiling over changes to the state’s insurance program, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. The program provides affordable coverage to coastal residences and is one of the few organizations through which homeowners can obtain protections from wind damage. Legislators have been debating over the necessity of the program and whether or not the state should continue to support it. A definitive decision had not been made before the end of the legislative session, but Senators were unwilling to let the issue slide into obscurity. After calling for…

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This year’s hurricane predictions are a big concern for insurance industry

Risk Management Solutions, a world leader in catastrophic risk modeling, has released a new study regarding hurricanes that has sent ripples of concern throughout the insurance industry. Hurricane season is here and it is expected that several major hurricanes will form in the Atlantic Ocean on their way to Florida. The study suggests that if even one of these hurricanes makes landfall and forces its way to the interior of the state, the damage would be unprecedented. This has caused many insurers in Florida to speculate how the report could…

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