With insurance take-up rates below 20%, Hurricane Melissa’s record-setting impact on Jamaica exposes significant coverage gaps. Verisk and Aon warn of rising insured and economic losses.

Hurricane Melissa is bearing down on Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, set to make what may become the island’s strongest landfall on record. Melissa has sustained winds well above 157 mph, is moving very slowly, and will trigger an extreme combination of storm surge, torrential rainfall, flash flooding and landslides.

Wind, hail, and water-related claims pushed severity up 9% in 2024, with catastrophe claims reaching a 7-year high of 42%. Adjusters must navigate rising costs, inflation pressures, and shifting risk patterns.

The Caribbean is under severe threat as Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane and is projected to make landfall in Jamaica early this week. With maximum sustained winds around 160 mph and a crawl speed of approximately 3 mph, Melissa is poised to do unprecedented damage for the island.

Spears Manufacturing claims Liberty Mutual ignored defense duties in two major construction defect lawsuits, raising concerns about insurer obligations in property damage cases.

Forecasters give the system an 80% chance of formation this week as it moves toward the Greater Antilles. No immediate Gulf Coast threat.

Projected cyclone-driven blackouts along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts could double by century’s end, with Hispanic and low-income communities facing the brunt of the impact.

An MGA startup uses AI simulations to model catastrophe risks at the property level, targeting homes insurers often avoid. But what does it mean for claims handling?

The Mississippi Supreme Court has closed the door on an 18-year dispute, upholding nearly $15M in penalties against USAA for bad-faith claim handling after Hurricane Katrina.

CSU researchers forecast above-normal Atlantic hurricane activity for mid to late October, with a focus on the western Caribbean.

Back-to-back coastal storms disrupt infrastructure and displace residents, with early season indicators of increased catastrophe activity this fall.

A sociology professor and prominent figure on The Real Housewives of Potomac, has been indicted in Maryland on multiple insurance fraud charges stemming from a staged home burglary.

Rising premiums, severe weather, and consumer distrust have pushed the personal lines market to a breaking point. Nationwide outlines how carriers and agents can restore trust through proactive protection.

Despite global uncertainty and catastrophe losses, the property/casualty insurance sector is on pace for a second profitable year. Adjusters should note shifts in underwriting performance across key lines.

Biogenic building materials, mobile nuclear reactors, and AI-powered farms introduce new risks and opportunities for claims adjusters.