To recap the issues raised during last week’s conference call, here are the key media stories we discussed, and the messages we’re conveying.
If there is a subject you would like to see addressed on Wednesday, September 27th, please email Michael Barry at michaelb@iii.org.
Mass Shooting In Las Vegas Is The Deadliest In U.S. History
Fifty-eight people died, and hundreds were injured, during the massacre on Sunday, October 1.
White House Asks Congress For $29 Billion In Disaster Relief Aid
The monies would fund the federal response and initial recovery needs of those impacted by the hurricanes which hit Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Tropical Storm Nate Could Reach The U.S.’s Gulf Coast As A Hurricane On The Weekend Of October 7-8
The Washington Post reports the National Weather Service is closely tracking Nate’s path and believes the storm system could impact Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida in a few days.
I.I.I.’s CEO Is Panelist At The 2017 Verisk Risk & Analytics Summit In Jersey City, New Jersey
The I.I.I.’s Sean Kevelighan discussed yesterday (October 5) how insurers can provide coverage to those in need, shorten the time between disaster and recovery, and help communities improve resiliency.
I.I.I.’s Know Your Plan App Cited In New York Times Article On ‘Preparing Your Home For A Disaster’
“Once you know your risks, download the Know Your Plan app from the Insurance Information Institute, which provides detailed checklists to help you prepare for various emergency scenarios,” stated the paper’s Sunday, October 1, Real Estate section.
Stories in the Works
The I.I.I.’s James Lynch spoke with Bloomberg BNA’s Brandon Ross regarding the availability of insurance coverage for manufacturers and retailers of legal marijuana.
The I.I.I.’s Michael Barry discussed with Best Week’s Renee Kiruluk-Hill the just-released 2017 LexisNexis Home Trends study.
Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah requested, and received, the I.I.I. 2017 Fact Book page headlined ‘Gun Deaths & Injuries.’
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is conducted its high-wind test demonstration for media outlets yesterday (October 5) in South Carolina.
Capitol Hill
In a 6-3 vote, The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) rescinded its determination that American International Group (AIG) is a systemically important financial institution (SiFi).
States
California
The owner of an Oakland warehouse where 36 people died in a December 2016 fire is eligible for a sizable insurance payout, multiple media outlets reported.
Florida
Hurricane Irma-related insurance claim payouts totaled about $4.2 billion as of Monday, October 2, the state reports.
The state’s insurers will eventually pay out $6.3 billion in wind-caused property damage claims because of Hurricane Irma, according to an estimate by a team of Florida International University researchers.
South Florida (Miami-Dade and Monroe counties), Southwest Florida (Collier and Lee counties), and Central Florida (Orange and Polk counties) are where the Department of Financial Services is sending its post-Irma, anti-fraud strike teams.
Georgia
Hurricane Irma resulted in the filing of 50,000-plus property-related insurance claims and could generate payouts totaling about $336 million, according to Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens.
One of the state’s post-Irma FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers is relocating to Savannah’s Southwest Chatham Library effective Saturday, October 7.
Louisiana
Baton Rouge property owners who incurred uninsured flood damage in August 2016 would be unable to deduct those losses on their federal tax return, if the current Trump administration tax reform proposal became law.
Montana
Hill County received more than a foot of snow earlier this week, causing widespread power outages and downed trees.
Ohio
Cincinnati’s Fox affiliate scrutinized municipal accident response fees, reporting on how Amberley Village bills for police services rendered when a non-resident is the at-fault driver in an auto accident within its boundaries.
Oklahoma
In a 5-3 decision, the state’s Supreme Court ruled yesterday (October 3) it is unconstitutional to deny an injured employee workers’ compensation benefits because of missed medical appointments.
Washington
At least two home insurers are issuing non-renewal notices to policyholders in wildfire-prone parts of Washington and Oregon, according to the NW News Network.
Social Media Report
Know Your Plan
The I.I.I.’s Know Your Plan app was featured in a NY Times article on preparing your home for a disaster. The I.I.I. also tweeted out the article.
National Cyber Awareness Month
October is National Cyber Awareness Month. To mark the occasion, the I.I.I. pushed out its cyber security and awareness tips across its social platforms this week, and will continue to do so this month. Use the hashtag #CyberAware to join the conversation.
IICF Week of Giving
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) is having its annual Week of Giving between October 14-21, 2017. The conversation on social can be followed by using the hashtags #IICFWeekofGiving and #insurancegivesback. The IICF is on Twitter at @doubleicf; visit iicf.org to sign up to volunteer.
Great ShakeOut
The Great ShakeOut earthquake drill is taking place on Thursday, October 19. The I.I.I. will be participating in the drill and promoting the event on its social media platforms. You can follow @ShakeOut on Twitter to find out more earthquake prep and how to sign up for the drill.
Media Matters
The Weather Channel wants to tell the economic recovery stories of storm-impacted communities, according to Nora Zimmett, the Channel’s senior vice president of programming.
CNN has hired Kara Scannell and Dianne Gallagher as on-air correspondents. Scannell, who was at The Financial Times, joins CNN’s D.C. bureau on Monday, October 9, while the Atlanta-based Gallagher was most recently with Newsource.
Danielle Ling (dling@alm.com) is a new editor at PropertyCasualty360. She succeeds Caterina Pontoriero, who left the publication.
The final print edition of The Wall Street Journal Europe was published on Friday, September 29.
The I.I.I. is cited regularly in the media as an authoritative source of insurance information. To access the current I.I.I. press clips, click here.
