Catastrophe 411

The 2011 hurricane season is upon us following a spring full of storm activity that has been more prolific than the last several years combined. Some much-needed demand for adjusters was sparked by the onslaught of tornadoes, which stretched over a 10-state area. Catastrophe losses for the first half of the year are hovering near $17 billion, estimates Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute.

Primary insurers, not reinsurers, will swallow most of these losses, according to Fitch Ratings. It has been reported that more than 13,000 adjusters were deployed, and Cunningham Lindsey/GAB says that some 920 adjusters were rolled out to the areas of devastation. Now with the purchase of GAB by Cunningham Lindsey, they will no doubt prove to be a giant in the industry. Their adjuster support and updates on technology set a high bar.