Southeast/Gulf Coast

• North Texas Tornadoes Could Cost Insurers $250M

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 24, 2013

  The estimate will likely change since the storm affected seven or eight counties and insurers continue to count claims.

• House Introduces Third TRIA-Extension Bill

  By Arthur D. Postal, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 24, 2013

  A new bill extending the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act for 10 years has been introduced in the House.

• Heard at AAMGA: Rates Firming, but Slowly; Risks Returning to E&S

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 24, 2013

  Burns & Wilcox CEO Alan Kaufman says the wholesale broker is writing more business, and insurance pricing is increasing, but market capacity and the economy are impeding the rate of incline.

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  Texas Commissioner Kitzman Tells Staff Her Last Day is May 27

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 24, 2013

  This month it had become increasingly clear the commissioner appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2011 would not receive a confirmation nod from the state Senate.

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  Eqecat: Up to $5B in Insured Losses from Recent Tornado Activity

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 24, 2013

  The storm system that produced deadly tornadoes this past week, including the one that leveled Moore, Okla., is expected to cause between $2 billion and $5 billion in insured property losses, according to catastrophe modeler Eqecat.

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  Citizens Taking 'Bold Yet Responsible' Depopulation Step

  By Barry Gilway  |  May 24, 2013

  Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s Board of Governors this week took a bold yet responsible step to reduce the risk to Florida taxpayers while protecting Citizens policyholders in the event of a catastrophic storm.

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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.

• Heritage to Assume More Policies from Fla. Citizens

  By Staff Writer  |  May 23, 2013

  The Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Board of Governors has approved Florida-based Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance Co. to remove approximately 60,000 mulitperil properties from the state's insurer of last resort’s personal lines and coastal accounts.

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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.

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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?

• Texas Commissioner Kitzman Appears to Be on Way Out

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 21, 2013

  According to two Texas state senators, it appears Eleanor Kitzman's services as insurance commissioner in Texas are no longer needed.

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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.

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  For Core Solutions, Some Insurers Opt for the Suite Life

  By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 21, 2013

  The decision isn’t just which new software solution to buy, but whether your strategy should be to purchase a best-of-breed solution or the increasingly popular software suite.

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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.