Monthly Archives: <span>September 2015</span>

Midwestern Tornadoes Damage Homes, Cause Injuries in 2 States

A pair of tornadoes along the Kansas-Missouri border with speeds of up to about 110 mph damaged homes and caused minor injuries, officials said. The first twister touched down around 6:30 p.m. Friday about 40 miles south of Kansas City, …

Home Inventories Can Cut Claim Processing Time by 50%

Wild weather has become more common with climate change, the experts say, and homeowners can prepare for natural disasters by making home inventories – detailed lists of household belongings and their approximate value. Making a home inventory can be easy; …

Cave Exploration on Rise Despite Danger

Patrick Werszner and a friend visited the Stephens Gap Cave Preserve in Jackson County, Ala., on Sept. 6. The 18-year-old UAB student sat on a ledge – what Stephens Gap cavers call “The Pedestal” – inside the preserve’s main cave. …

Senators Seek Details on Cybersecurity From Automakers

Two U.S. senators have asked the world’s biggest automakers for information on steps they have taken to protect cars from being hacked, as attention on vehicle security has surged following the first car recall over a cyber bug. Democratic Senators …

This Year’s California Wildfires Costliest for Insurers Since 1991

The wildfires ravaging Northern California may be the costliest for the insurance industry in more than two decades by the time the blazes are controlled. “Although it is too early to provide any current loss estimates, the Valley fire could …

Global Warming has Reinsurers Calling for Action at Climate Change Summit

Politicians must act to cap global warming when they meet at a United Nations summit at the end of the year as the financial and humanitarian consequences of natural catastrophes become ever clearer, reinsurers meeting at an industry conference said. …

South Dakota Saloon Owner Says Power Cord Caused Fire

The fire that destroyed the Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, S.D., was caused by a malfunctioning electrical cord, according to the owner of the popular biker bar. “We had a keg cooler behind the main bar, and (workers) had pulled …

Last Defendant in Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse Suit Dismissed

A security company is the final defendant to be dismissed from a class action lawsuit filed by victims of the deadly 2011 Indiana State Fair stage collapse. Marion County Superior Court Judge Timothy Oakes granted ESG Security’s motion for summary …

Banks Can Sue Target as Group Over Cyber Attack

Hundreds of banks and credit unions can band together to pursue damages from Target Corp. over a 2013 hacking attack that compromised as many as 40 million payment cards. The ruling Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson in St. …

Coverage and Price Push Gen Y Homeowners Customers to Unbundle Policies

Considered the largest customer segment of home buyers in the United States, Gen Y homeowner customers unbundle—or split—their product needs across multiple insurers at a higher rate than any other generational group, creating an opportunity for insurers, according to the …