South Central

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  Oklahoma Tornado Preparedness Lauded by Some, Questioned by Others

  By Anya Khalamayzer, PropertyCasualty360  |  May 23, 2013

  As news reports question the lack of shelters in Oklahoma, insurance experts say that Tornado Alley residents are more prepared than ever to handle tornado damage.

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  Mitigating Bad Faith Exposure During Disaster Season

  By Christina Bramlet, PropertyCasualty360.com, Melissa Anne Wuske  |  May 23, 2013

  In cat claims handling, certain touchpoints can breed bad faith allegations, not to mention plenty of bad press for insurers. Cultivating best practices will mitigate needless litigation.

• Who's Using What: The Latest News in Insurance Software Implementations

  By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 23, 2013

  CUNA Mutual Group, through its TruStage Insurance Agency, has revamped its customer contact strategy through the use of SAS Enterprise Guide to provide relevant, timely offers to credit union members.

• Under Pressure, Landrieu Again Seeks to Block NFIP Rate Increases

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 22, 2013

  Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., late Tuesday introduced legislation that would roll back a number of National Flood Insurance Program reforms passed last year.

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  Insurers, Officials Begin to Assess Damage from Oklahoma Tornado

  By Anya Khalamayzer, PropertyCasualty360  |  May 22, 2013

  Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak said damages from the Moore, Okla. tornado may exceed $3 billion while AIR Worldwide estimates that the replacement value of damaged properties around the track of the tornado could be as high as $6 billion.

• Oklahoma Tornado Damage Likely to Exceed Joplin, Commissioner Says

  By Reuters  |  May 22, 2013

  The damage from Monday's tornado in a suburb of Oklahoma City is likely to exceed that caused by the 2011 twister in Joplin, Missouri, that killed 161 people, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak said.

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  After the Storm: Analyzing Tornado Structural Damage

  By Christina Bramlet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 22, 2013

  Will the property damage in Moore, Okla. be similar to the $2.8 billion devastation in Joplin 2 years ago?

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  All About Tornadoes

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 21, 2013

  Tornadoes have caused $97.8 billion in insured losses in the U.S. between 1990 and 2009, making these weather events second only to hurricanes for that period as the costliest natural disasters. Learn about the damage caused to the U.S. in recent years from these weather events.

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  Twister Levels Oklahoma Town as Midwest Storm System Lingers

  By Anya Khalamayzer, PropertyCasualty360  |  May 21, 2013

  Average tornadoes move at less than 35 miles per hour and last just a few minutes, but yesterday a two-mile wide EF4 tornado packing 166 to 200 mph winds ripped through the suburbs of Oklahoma City for 40 minutes.

• Cat Bond Investors on Alert After Oklahoma Twister

  By Sarah Mortimer, Reuters  |  May 21, 2013

  Investors in niche financial bonds that cover insurers against huge natural disasters are on alert for future events that could force them to pay out after the powerful tornado that struck the U.S. on Monday, brokers and fund managers said.

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  2-Mile Wide Tornado Strikes Outside Oklahoma City; Death Toll Estimate Lowered

  By Carey Gillam, Reuters, Ian Simpson, Reuters  |  May 21, 2013

  Emergency workers searched for survivors in the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital in an Oklahoma town hit by a powerful tornado, but officials on Tuesday sharply lowered the number of deaths caused by the storm.

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  Battle over NFIP Rate Hikes Causes Ripples in Louisiana Senate Race

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 20, 2013

  The battle over rate hikes imposed on flood insurance program policyholders in Louisiana is intensifying, with the big prize being the Senate seat now held by Mary Landrieu, D-La.

• Tornadoes Pummel Midwest with More to Come

  By Anya Khalamayzer, PropertyCasualty360  |  May 20, 2013

  More than 20 tornadoes roared through the Midwest Sunday, and reports promise continuing severe weather today.

• Hires and Promotions at Woodruff-Sawyer, Pioneer Underwriting, OneBeacon, Central Insurance, Jimcor and RSC- Around the Industry

  By Staff Writer  |  May 17, 2013

  New Programs at Victor O. Schinnerer, Markel Service, Liberty and Zurich

• National Flood Services to Acquire CSC’s Flood Insurance BPO Unit

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 16, 2013

  CSC, which handles NFIP-Direct for the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been acquired by the company which does most of the back-office work for 50 Write-Your-Own companies.

• 68th Company Member Joins Trusted Choice

  By Staff Writer  |  May 16, 2013

  Midlands is the 68th company partner to join Trusted Choice, the national consumer branding program of independent insurance agents and brokers.