Hurricane Ian News

Newer, Elevated Structures Had Much Smaller Flood Claims in Ian, FEMA Says

Hurricane Ian caused extensive damage in southwest Florida, with more than 37,000 National Flood Insurance Program claims, making it the fourth-most expensive flood disaster in U.S. history, says a new report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As other studies …

South Florida P/C Insurance Agent Charged With Swiping $131,000 in Premiums

A south Florida insurance agent has been charged with absconding with more than $130,000 in premiums, leaving property owners uninsured after Hurricane Ian. Naser Al-Sweity, of Boca Raton, was booked into Palm Beach County jail this week on charges of …

US Forecasters Call for Near-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season

HOUSTON – The Atlantic hurricane season will bring an average number of ocean storms and hurricanes this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Thursday. NOAA forecasters estimate 12 to 17 named storms of which five to …

NOAA: Ian Was Cat 5 Before Weakening at Florida Landfall

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Ian briefly reached maximum Category 5 status before weakening to a Category 4 storm as it blasted ashore last September in southwest Florida, eventually causing over $112 billion in damage in the U.S. and …

Natural Catastrophes Cost Insurers $125 Billion in 2022: Swiss Re

Natural disasters in 2022 brought global economic losses of US$275 billion, of which insurance covered 45%, or US$125 billion, according to Swiss Re’s latest sigma report. Claims from Hurricane Ian in Florida, record breaking losses from hailstorms in France, floods …

NOAA: Ian, Drought Supercharged US Weather Extremes in 2022

DENVER (AP) — Costly weather disasters kept raining down on America last year, pounding the nation with 18 climate extremes that caused at least $1 billion in damage each, totaling more than $165 billion, federal climate scientists calculated Tuesday. Even …

Insured Losses Hit $120 Billion as Extreme Weather Spreads

The insurance industry is struggling to adapt to a new normal in which losses fueled by climate change are now regularly exceeding $100 billion a year. Insured losses from natural disasters hit about $120 billion in 2022, most of which …

Beach Town in Sand Dunes Battle Sues New Jersey for $21M

NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. (AP) — A beach town that is defying New Jersey’s order not to shore up its eroding sand dunes is suing the state for $21 million. That’s how much North Wildwood says it spent over the past …

New Abnormal: Climate Disaster Damage ‘Down’ to $268 Billion

This past year has seen a horrific flood that submerged one-third of Pakistan, one of the three costliest U.S. hurricanes on record, devastating droughts in Europe and China, a drought-triggered famine in Africa and deadly heat waves all over. Yet …

Sand Storm: NJ Sues Town that Fixed Eroded Beach Despite Ban

NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. (AP) — A sand storm at the Jersey shore is escalating. New Jersey is suing a coastal town that repaired beach erosion from a fall storm in defiance of a state order not to do so. And …