With over $1 billion in tornado losses hitting insurers, first-quarter 2008 twister loss totals have blown past comparable first-quarter loss totals for the last four years, A.M. Best reported yesterd

Insurers "need to factor in issues surrounding climate change and must look to incorporate long-term weather trends into their pricing," advised Tom Hettinger, managing director of the San Diego-based

The study reported worldwide there were 143 natural catastrophes and 193 manmade disasters in 2007. These resulted in the loss of 20,000 lives and $70 billion in economic losses. Property insurers

While no insured loss totals were available, PCS generally declares a catastrophe when there is an insured loss of more than $25 million and an impact on a significant number of policyholders and