Troubled Florida Home Insurance Market Gets More Bad News as Insurers Continue to Exit

Waterfront villas on one of the island of Florida Keys, USA

Florida’s home insurance availability crisis continues to claim new victims, and worries are mounting that more companies could be declared insolvent as this year’s hurricane season draws near. The industry’s financial storm clouds have prompted fears of collapsing companies and the massive growth of state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the insurer of last resort: Last… Continue reading Troubled Florida Home Insurance Market Gets More Bad News as Insurers Continue to Exit

AIG and Chubb Cutting Back on Insuring Multimillion-Dollar Homes in Wildfire-Prone Areas in California

insurers exodus from wildfire regions

Concerned about wildfire risk and frustrated by state regulations, insurers in California have reduced their homeowner business. Affluent homeowners are now feeling the brunt of the pain, as two of the largest companies providing protection for multimillion-dollar properties discontinue coverage for some customers. American International Group Inc. (AIG) percent will begin notifying approximately 9,000 customers… Continue reading AIG and Chubb Cutting Back on Insuring Multimillion-Dollar Homes in Wildfire-Prone Areas in California

Waterfront Homeowners Weather High Insurance Costs After Major Storms

Waterfront villas on one of the island of Florida Keys, USA

Calvin and Elizabeth Moore weren’t worried when they learned their coastal Pensacola, Fla., home was in the path of Hurricane Sally. They had upgraded its roof and windows after Hurricane Ivan damaged the property in 2004. But the 2020 storm was stronger than expected, and they ended up with significant damage from a leaking roof,… Continue reading Waterfront Homeowners Weather High Insurance Costs After Major Storms

AIG Launches New Syndicate at Lloyd’s for the U.S. High Net Worth Customer Segment

high networth insurance

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) today announced proposals to launch a new syndicate at Lloyd’s serving the specialist U.S. high net worth market that will start writing business effective January 1, 2020, subject to regulatory approval. This specialist syndicate represents substantial, accretive new business to the Lloyd’s market, writing up to $1bn in gross written… Continue reading AIG Launches New Syndicate at Lloyd’s for the U.S. High Net Worth Customer Segment

Wildfires in California Blamed on Bad Building Decisions

La Tuna fire in CA. The largest wildfire in Los Angeles history is still burning Monday 9-4-17, with more than a thousand firefighters trying to control the flames. The La Tuna fire has burned more than 7,000 (2.023 hectares) acres in the Verdugo Mountains since Friday, destroyed homes and forced the governor to declare a state of emergency.

California’s deadly wildfires have a straightforward solution, experts say: stop building homes in places that are likely to burn — and make homes that already exist in those areas a whole lot tougher. That approach, wildfire and climate policy experts are quick to add, would be expensive and unpopular, especially in a state with both… Continue reading Wildfires in California Blamed on Bad Building Decisions

Firefighters Battle Deadly California Wildfires, At Least 31 Dead

Ca property insurance reforms

Firefighters are battling two deadly California wildfires that have claimed at least 31 lives, left more than 200 people missing and put a quarter million residents under evacuation, while unhealthy smoke levels have prompted warnings to stay indoors. The Camp Fire in Butte County, about 100 miles north of Sacramento, grew slightly to a total… Continue reading Firefighters Battle Deadly California Wildfires, At Least 31 Dead

California Fire Forces Mass Evacuations from Malibu to Calabasas; Many Homes Lost

Ca property insurance reforms

The Woolsey Fire made a destructive march through Ventura and Los Angeles counties on Thursday, destroying numerous suburban homes, closing freeways and causing portions of cities from Calabasas and Thousand Oaks to Malibu to be evacuated. The 8,000 acre fire jumped the 101 Freeway Friday morning and was making a march toward the Pacific Ocean,… Continue reading California Fire Forces Mass Evacuations from Malibu to Calabasas; Many Homes Lost

Mounting Climate Worries Push ‘Location, Location, Location’ Off the Beach

beachfront houses on Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Three-bedroom house. Ocean views. Steps from the water. This was once a surefire home-sales pitch. Today, some buyers fear a warmer climate will bring fiercer floodwaters, winds and hurricanes—and that has changed the math of waterfront real estate. “I can’t get anybody to come look at it,” said real-estate agent Angela Payne, describing a four-bedroom… Continue reading Mounting Climate Worries Push ‘Location, Location, Location’ Off the Beach

California Customers Could Foot the Bill for Billions in Wildfire Liability Costs

Night long exposure photograph of the Santa Clarita wildfire in CA. The Santa Clarita Valley mountains has drawn firefighters and emergency crews in the hills toward Acton. So far, the fire has burned 38,346 acres.

A last-minute measure by California lawmakers to rescue the state’s largest utility from a potential bankruptcy sets up a contentious process whereby its customers could foot the bill for billions in liability costs it faces following the state’s catastrophic 2017 wildfires. The bill passed Friday night in the final hours of California’s legislative session would… Continue reading California Customers Could Foot the Bill for Billions in Wildfire Liability Costs

Verizon Apologizes for Throttling Fire Department’s Data During Wildfire

Maui wildfires

Verizon on Friday apologized for throttling the data speeds for a fire department as it was battling the largest recorded wildfire in California’s history. “In supporting first responders in the Mendocino fire, we didn’t live up to our own promise of service and performance excellence when our process failed some first responders on the line,… Continue reading Verizon Apologizes for Throttling Fire Department’s Data During Wildfire