flood risk News

Growing Private Flood Market Will Test Claim Professionals

A nudge into the market by carriers offering private flood insurance is becoming more of a shove, which might bring new opportunities for claims adjusters and maybe create a more efficient claims process along the way. An executive for Munich …

FEMA Bought 44,000 Flood-Prone Homes and May Have to Buy Millions More

As the climate crisis worsens, more Americans will be forced from their homes. Many won’t be able to afford it, and the U.S. isn’t prepared for a massive, government-subsidized migration away from flood-prone areas, according to the first comprehensive analysis …

When Climate Change Leads to Mortgage Defaults: Viewpoint

Climate change poses risks to real estate that homebuyers may not be able to predict. As sea level rises, coastal properties, for example, may be subject to increased flooding and intensifying storm surges. First-time homebuyers often lack the expertise to …

Fire and Hail Push Insurers to Rethink Climate Change Risks

LONDON — By the time David Kaisel got back from selling his flour at a farmers’ market, a wildfire in California’s Capay Valley had burnt both his tractor and the shipping container where he kept some tools. His insurer is …

Business News: FloodMapp, Ironshore, Sedgwick

FloodMapp Announces U.S. Launch of Flood-Prediction Technology FloodMapp, a firm founded in Brisbane, Australia that provides predictive flood modeling, will soon offer its product in Texas and Florida. The company said in a press release that FloodMapp uses a proprietary …

As Sea Levels Rise, Homes Continue to Sprout in U.S. Flood Zones

NEW YORK — New homes are going up fastest in high-flood risk areas in many U.S. coastal states, scientists said on Wednesday, despite increasing awareness that global warming has made living in such areas even more risky. Science and communication …

Vulnerability Reduction Scorecard Helps Cities Save Lives and Resources

In Norfolk, Virginia, officials are taking action to reduce their city’s vulnerability to flood risks. Flooding in Norfolk does not just happen during major storms. It can happen when the sun is shining, if the tide is high or the …

D.C. Is First to Plan to Remove, Retrofit Flood-Prone Buildings

Washington is announcing a goal of retrofitting or removing all of its flood-prone buildings by 2050, the first major U.S. city to set such a policy. The proposal is part of a broader plan to protect Washington, which is home …

California Dam’s Rebuilt Spillway ‘Performing as Expected’ During 1st Water Release

OROVILLE, Calif. — Water rushed down the rebuilt spillway at the nation’s tallest dam for the first time since it crumbled in heavy rain two years ago and drove hundreds of thousands of California residents from their homes over fears …

Climate Advocates Cheer Trump Policy Shift on Flood Insurance

About the photo: A member of a search and rescue team wades through floodwaters after Hurricane Florence in Carolina Beach, North Carolina on Sept. 17, 2018. Photographer: Callaghan O’Hare/Bloomberg Climate advocates say an overhaul of the nation’s flood insurance program …