Italy is on the verge of a financial meltdown, which may have dire ramifications for the global economy. Investors and financial institutions have begun casting doubt on Italy’s ability to survive a financial disaster, and now the government is turning to the insurance industry for help. Italian officials are looking to adopt disaster insurance to help mitigate the impact of a potential economic catastrophe. The country’s debt – more than $2 trillion – could mean that it is beyond rescue, even for the insurance industry. The insurance industry in Europe…
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Florida catastrophe fund faces major financial deficit
Florida’s hurricane fund is facing a major financial shortfall, according to Jack Nicholson, chief operating officer of the fund. The fund, which was established in the wake of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew, provides money to insurance companies in order to help those displaced by natural disasters. Nicholson issued a warning to state legislators this week that noted that the fund faces a $3.2 billion deficit and will not be able to offer aid in the event of a major storm for the immediate future. This year, the fund has provided insurers…
Read MoreReport calls for more action from consumers to help mitigate the costs of natural disasters
This year has been host to a large number of natural disasters that have born a heavy price tag to the insurance industry. While natural disasters may not be happening more frequently, they are certainly happening in areas of dense population, making the damage they cause astronomical. Consumers often look to the insurance industry to provide protections against natural disasters, but the industry can only do so much. A new report from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School suggests that government policy, as well as consumer initiative, may significantly reduce…
Read MoreInsurance group spends more than $300,000 lobbying the federal government
The American Insurance Association spent more than $300,000 in lobbying the federal government during the second quarter of this year. Much of the lobbying effort was focused on disaster insurance and regulatory reform. The insurance organization has been pressuring legislators to pass laws that would make insurance more accessible to those in disaster prone areas. The money spent during the second quarter was not only spent to lobby the House and Senate, it also went toward lobbying efforts targeted at the Department of Treasury and Federal Reserve System. The association…
Read MoreAmericans are only at the beginning of weather related expenses
J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of study that indicated that a sizeable percentage of consumers who are in weather disaster-prone regions do not have adequate home insurance coverage. The United States may be the richest country in the world, but severe weather can still threaten its people and businesses. There are two primary socio-economic issues that impact the amount of economic loss that results from this type of catastrophe. They are: value at risk and population exposure. The 2011 U.S. National Homeowners Insurance Study showed that even…
Read MoreHurricane 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…
Read MoreU.S natural disasters: How the insurance industry is faring and what consumers need to know about the future.
As Hurricane Irene barrels down on the East Coast, Chris Hackett, Director of Personal Lines Policies for The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), has quite a few things to say concerning insurance and how people will be affected by the storm. We were able to ask Mr. Hackett about current, past and even future potential natural disaster events that we all should prepare for. Here is what he had to say: Live Insurance News – With hurricane Irene beating down on the Carolinas, and maybe even New York,…
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