Topic Catastrophes
Hurricanes put property catastrophe reinsurance in the spotlight
September 15, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterTwo new reports look at emerging trends in property catastrophe reinsurance, just as the U.S. awaits the arrival of Ivan, the third major hurricane of the year.Rating agency Standard & Poor’s notes that the onslaught of new property catastrophe reinsurance…
Ivan targets Alabama; damage could reach US$10 billion
September 15, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterHurricane Ivan was making its unwelcome arrival on the coast of Alabama late Wednesday, and risk modeler Risk Management Solutions (RMS) says the storm could produce US$4-$10 billion in insured damage based on current forecasts.RMS says the high end of…
Louisiana braces for Ivan’s arrival
September 14, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterInsured loss estimates for the landfall of Hurricane Ivan on U.S. soil have been upped, with the storm now tracking for Louisiana, as well as Mississippi, Alabama and the north-west tip of Florida. The coast of these states is currently…
What’s new: In brief (September 14, 2004)
September 14, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterA new study by Analysis Group, commissioned by U.S. insurers and reinsurers, finds if the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act is not extended beyond 2005, and a catastrophic terrorist attack occurs, tens of thousands of jobs would be lost and thousands…
Ivan continues trek towards Florida
September 13, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterHurricane Ivan remains a category 5 storm, tracking towards Cuba and still a potential threat to the Florida Keys, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).As of Monday afternoon, Cuba was beginning to experience the outer edges of…
What’s new: In brief (September 12, 2004)
September 12, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterFitch Ratings says even with the back-to-back landfall of hurricanes Charley and Frances, most insurers will be protected because of their spread of risk geographically and by line of business, as well as the presence of public-sponsored entities which will…
Global reinsurers continue on stable footing: A.M. Best
September 12, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterA mixture of positive and negative effects is leaving the global reinsurance market in a relatively stable ratings position, according to a new report by A.M. Best.The rating agency says while reserve issues continue to plague the industry, current underwriting…
EQECAT predicts US$3-$18 billion loss if Ivan hits Florida
September 12, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterRisk modeling firm EQECAT says if Hurricane Ivan hits the Florida coastline, insured damages could be US$3-$18 billion, depending on the storm’s intensity and where it makes landfall.Ivan is currently a category 4-5 storm, and has already done an estimated…
IBC criticizes Newfoundland’s latest actuary report
September 8, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has reacted hotly to an actuarial study conducted by Mercer Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting Ltd. on behalf of the government of Newfoundland which suggests insurers are writing homeowners’ business at a significantly higher profit…
What’s new: In brief (September 08, 2004)
September 8, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterThe most recent insurer to disclose loss estimates from Hurricane Charley is also the hardest hit. State Farm says it will incur a loss of US$1.3 billion, or about 19% of the US$6.8 total industry loss predicted by the Insurance…
Frances likely to be “major loss” to primary insurers
September 7, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterWhile primary insurers are likely to face a “major loss” as a result of Hurricane Frances, the impact on their reinsurance counterparts is less clear, but likely to be less severe, according to early analysis by Fitch Ratings.Fitch notes that…
Hurricanes may force reinsurers to readdress frequency issue
September 7, 2004 by Canadian UnderwriterWhile the relative severity of losses from the recent hurricanes Frances and Charley is well below that of Hurricane Andrew, their coming in the same season may cause reinsurers to give more credence to frequency in predictive models, notes a…