Hurricane Milton brought intense winds, widespread destruction, and left millions without power in Florida. While storm surge impacts were less severe than anticipated, damage to homes, power lines, and infrastructure is widespread.

Despite recent hurricane challenges, Florida’s property insurance market is showing resilience, with reforms leading to rate reductions, new insurer entries, and declining reinsurance costs in 2024.

Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, caused catastrophic flooding and destruction from Florida’s coast to the Southern Appalachians. Research shows climate change intensified its rainfall, winds, and flooding risks.

Perrier, a leading luxury water brand, faces a contamination crisis after fecal matter and banned pesticides were found in its wells. With production halted and millions of bottles destroyed, Nestlé’s management of the iconic brand is under scrutiny.

A cyberattack on American Water, the largest U.S. regulated water utility, has paused billing services and renewed concerns over the security of critical infrastructure.

As heatwaves and air pollution intensify, employers must adopt protective measures to ensure the health and safety of outdoor workers, reducing accidents and costly business interruptions.

The California Supreme Court ruled that public employers are not subject to civil penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and are exempt from certain wage and break laws unless explicitly stated.

Improved underwriting results for personal lines in the first half of 2024 have reduced the performance gap with commercial lines, driven by premium growth in personal auto and homeowners insurance.

As climate change fuels stronger storms, the Saffir-Simpson scale’s wind-only focus is outdated. A refined system accounting for flooding, storm surge, and storm duration could improve safety and insurance coverage.

Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm expected to strike Florida, threatens to deplete U.S. property/casualty insurers’ catastrophe budgets and test global reinsurers’ limits, though most are expected to weather the storm without significant capital impacts.

The Waffle House Index, a quirky yet reliable gauge of storm severity, shows widespread closures across Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches, warning of significant damage and disruption.

Florida officials are cautioning residents about the potential fire hazards posed by lithium-ion batteries in EVs and other devices, urging proactive steps to prevent accidents as Hurricane Milton approaches.

As climate-intensified storms expose the limitations of FEMA’s outdated flood maps, millions of Americans may face flood risks without adequate insurance protection, especially in areas prone to heavy rainfall.

Icosa Investments forecasts insurance losses from Hurricane Milton could span from $15 billion to over $150 billion, depending on the storm’s intensity and landfall, with significant implications for the cat bond market.

CoreLogic’s latest estimate puts insured losses from Hurricane Helene between $10.5 billion and $17.5 billion, with total economic losses reaching up to $47.5 billion due to widespread wind and flood damage.