Topic
Catastrophes
Washington governor declares state of emergency for all counties after damage from storm
November 19, 2015 Lisa Baumann - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSEATTLE – Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency Wednesday in Washington state after days of rain and a powerful storm Tuesday killed three people, cut power to more than 350,000 residents and flooded rivers. The winds on Tuesday…
Climate change could present more threat than anticipated to insurance industry: Standard & Poor’s
November 19, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterInsurers’ capital positions could be affected by lower investment income and higher capital requirements, as well as by an anticipated increase in weather-related claims due to climate change, Standard and Poor’s Rating Services said in an analyst article earlier this…
Powerful winds knock power out for tens of thousands of BC Hydro customers
November 18, 2015 Tamsyn Burgmann - THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – A vigorous cold front swept across southern British Columbia on Tuesday, bringing gale-force winds that cut power to tens of thousands of BC Hydro customers. The utility announced Tuesday night that strong wind gusts during the dinner hour…
National energy plan needed to replace focus on individual projects: Valero CEO
November 17, 2015 Ross Marowits - THE CANADIAN PRESSMONTREAL – The owner of one of Canada’s largest oil refineries hopes a first ministers’ meeting later this month will begin to develop a national energy strategy to replace what he sees as a piecemeal focus on individual projects like…
Powerful wintery storm blasts Colorado with snow, unleashes twisters in Texas
November 17, 2015 Colleen Slevin - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSDENVER – A powerful wintery storm dumped heavy snow on parts of Colorado on Tuesday while bringing the threat of tornadoes to millions in Arkansas and Texas, where a handful of damaging twisters had plowed through that state’s Panhandle the…
El Nio expected to strengthen further by year-end, UN agency says
November 17, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterA “mature and strong” El Niño event, which is contributing to extreme weather patterns, is expected to strengthen further by the end of the year, according to the latest update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of…
Most Canadians not aware of common home insurance condition that could result in a denied claim: Square One Insurance
November 16, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterVancouver-based Square One Insurance Services Inc. has found that the majority of Canadians are not aware of a common home insurance condition that, if not met, eliminates coverage for damage from frozen pipes. Square One Insurance said on Monday that…
GEO commits to unleashing open data in a bid to address global challenges, including climate change
November 16, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterIn a time of exponential data growth, human development and climate change, the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) announced Friday that members are committed to sharing data on Earth observations. “We promote open access to data, knowledge and information,”…
Alberta invests in natural flood and drought protection with nearly $3 million in grants
November 13, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterThe government of Alberta announced on Friday that it is providing grants totalling nearly $3 million to 12 organizations to help improve the flood and drought resiliency of communities across the province. The grants, through the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration…
Texas storms in April and May result in paid residential property losses of nearly US$900 million, state insurance council reports
November 13, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterSevere storms in Texas in April and May of this year have resulted in paid residential property losses close to US$900 million from 114,000 claims, the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) said on Thursday. Beginning in late March, multiple severe…
Accused plead not guilty on federal charges laid in Lac-Mgantic derailment
November 13, 2015 The Canadian PressLAC-MÉGANTIC, Que. – A number of accused have pleaded not guilty to federal charges laid in connection with the 2013 Lac-Mégantic train derailment. The accused are all former employees of now-defunct Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway Ltd., and most were…
‘Fresh water’ flood coverage available Nov. 17 for new RSA Canada homeowner policies
November 12, 2015 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorStarting Nov. 17, Canadian insurance brokers will be able to offer policies covering fresh water flooding written by RSA Canada to some homeowners purchasing sewer backup coverage, a senior RSA Canada official said Thursday. A new RSA Canada endorsement, called…