With the summer storm season just ahead, building managers and owners must be ready to protect lives and property against lightning strikes, says the Lightning Protection Institute, a not-for-profit, nationwide group dedicated to promoting lightning awareness, education and safety. “Lightning strikes the U.S. about 25 million times a year, according to the National Weather Service,… Continue reading Lightning Dangers Emphasized During Building Safety & Electrical Safety Months
Tag: homeowners insurance
Architects, Builders Hear New Buyer Mantra: Safety, Resilience
Breezy Point is beautiful in the summertime, a quaint neighborhood sitting on a slim peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic just south of New York City. In a storm, though, that dreamy setting can become a nightmare. Breezy Point was devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Flooding, high winds and fires destroyed more than… Continue reading Architects, Builders Hear New Buyer Mantra: Safety, Resilience
Homeowners Fault Government for Hurricane Harvey Damage
With lush parks, solid schools nearby and its proximity to Houston, the Cinco Ranch planned community seemed the perfect place for Elisio and Ana Soares to buy a house after moving to the U.S. from Brazil. But only after Hurricane Harvey swamped their dream home in August 2017 with 7 inches of water did the… Continue reading Homeowners Fault Government for Hurricane Harvey Damage
PG&E Faces SEC Investigation Related to Wildfire Accounting
PG&E Corp. said the Securities and Exchange Commission has opened an investigation into the company’s disclosures and accounting for losses related to California wildfires. The investigation, tied to fires in 2015, 2017 and 2018, represents a new problem for the troubled utility, which filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year, citing wildfire-related liability costs. It… Continue reading PG&E Faces SEC Investigation Related to Wildfire Accounting
$600K Miami-Dade Home Insurance Fraud Scheme Dismantled, Officials Say
An insurance fraud scheme in Miami-Dade – the type of scam that leads to increased insurance premiums for all consumers – has been dismantled, according to officials. Nine people have been arrested over the $600,000 Miami-Dade homeowners insurance fraud scheme. The arrests were the result of a year-long fraud investigation named “Operation Rubicon.” “Arrests include… Continue reading $600K Miami-Dade Home Insurance Fraud Scheme Dismantled, Officials Say
Home Ownership Rate Drops for First Time in More than Two Years
The U.S. homeownership rate fell for the first time in more than two years in the first quarter, putting the brakes on the recovery of an important piece of the economy. The homeownership rate fell to 64.2% in the first quarter from 64.8% in the fourth quarter, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released Thursday—a… Continue reading Home Ownership Rate Drops for First Time in More than Two Years
CA Governor Calls for Wildfire Fund, Utility Fix
California Gov. Gavin Newsom gave legislators just three months to address a multibillion-dollar wildfire liability problem that has forced the state’s largest power company, PG&E Corp., into bankruptcy and threatens the same fate for its other utilities. The governor issued a report Friday outlining possible solutions for how costs for destructive wildfires will be covered,… Continue reading CA Governor Calls for Wildfire Fund, Utility Fix
Millions Live in Parts of California Threatened by Wildfires
Impoverished towns in the shadow of Mount Shasta. Rustic Gold Rush cities in the Sierra Nevada foothills. High-dollar resort communities on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Ritzy Los Angeles County suburbs. They all could be the next Paradise. A McClatchy analysis reveals more than 350,000 Californians live in towns and cities that exist almost entirely… Continue reading Millions Live in Parts of California Threatened by Wildfires
Seven Women Suing Bill Cosby Reach Settlement in Defamation Case with AIG
Seven women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, and then sued him for defamation when his representatives accused them of lying, have settled their claims in their long-running case, according to documents filed Friday in federal court in Massachusetts. “The plaintiffs have settled their claims against Mr. Cosby,” a lawyer for the seven women,… Continue reading Seven Women Suing Bill Cosby Reach Settlement in Defamation Case with AIG
2019 Hurricane Season Forecast, Will We Get A Break?
After two consecutive seasons of devastating hurricanes, a leading forecaster is predicting a less active year as compared to 2018, but that doesn’t mean it will be quiet. AccuWeather, which issued its seasonal forecast this morning, believes the 2019 hurricane season will be near normal to slightly above normal with 12 to 14 named storms.… Continue reading 2019 Hurricane Season Forecast, Will We Get A Break?