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.
I.I.I. PROVIDES GUIDANCE TO MEDIA IN AFTERMATH OF HARVEY AND IRMA
The I.I.I.’s Steven Weisbart was quoted in a Washington Post story on the insurance industry’s financial strength in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The article was posted on Monday, September 18.
USA Today reported You may not live in Florida or Texas, but your insurance rates could spike because of hurricanes. The article prompted calls to the I.I.I. for clarification, namely from NBC Nightly News and CBS MoneyWatch. The I.I.I.’s Lynne McChristian was able to correct the misconception property insurance rates will rise across the U.S. based on what happened in Texas and Florida.
A FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center opened today (September 20) at the Carolyn Sims Center in Boynton Beach (Palm Beach County) for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Irma.
Florida’s Department of Financial Services opened Irma-related Insurance Village locales this week in St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, and Naples.
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) released details on Hurricane Harvey’s Disaster Assistance Mobile Unit Locations.
HURRICANE MARIA MAKES LANDFALL IN PUERTO RICO
Maria made landfall as a Category 4 storm in southeast Puerto Rico on Wednesday, September 20. The governor’s spokesperson said ‘this is a total disaster.’ The same evacuation centers Puerto Rico used for Irma are filled with thousands of people due to Maria, according to CNN.
STORIES IN THE WORKS
Since the call, ProPublica posted an article claiming the California Department of Insurance (CDI) changed the way CDI regulates auto insurance because of ProPublica’s April 2017 story on the issue.
Jeff Daniels, a Los Angeles-based CNBC Digital news producer, is readying a piece on what a major earthquake, like the one which struck Mexico yesterday (September 19), could cause in the way of insured losses if a comparable quake were to occur in California.
CAPITOL HILL
Dr. David Harkey will succeed Dr. Adrian Lund in January 2018 as president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).
STATES
California
Fearing a big earthquake like the one in Mexico isn’t enough. Here’s how to turn anxiety into action. The magnitude 3.6 earthquake that struck Westwood, California, on Monday, September 18, was small and caused no property damage. The deadly 7.1 earthquake that struck hours later in Mexico City caused buildings to collapse and resulted in a significant number of deaths, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Floods, fires, other disasters add stress to state budgets. California is among the states with a dedicated disaster fund — for fighting wildfires — but already has burned through more than half the $427 million it set aside this year, with Southern California’s fearsome Santa Ana wind season looming, the LA Times reports.
Attorney General Xavier Becerra has sued the Trump administration over its proposed plan to build a border wall in Imperial and San Diego counties.
The I.I.I. is participating in a Friday, September 29, 9 a.m., PST, webinar being hosted by the South California Earthquake Center.
Georgia
The state House of Representatives’ Distractive Driving study committee is holding its next public session on Monday, September 25, at Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins.
Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens announces claims village in Chatham County. He also issued a news release asking insurers to provide leniency to Irma-impacted policyholders.
Florida
The I.I.I.’s McChristian is at a meeting today (September 20) with the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation in Tallahassee.
Hurricane Irma’s impact on the state’s tourism industry likely will be short term and not affect winter’s high-travel season, numerous published reports stated.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, insurance agencies and consumer groups warn Floridians of possible scammers looking to take advantage of vulnerable home and car owners. The Tampa Bay Times warned storm victims of scams, using information from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The New York Times reports Irma may force Florida insurers to turn to deeper pockets, specifically because many of them rely heavily on reinsurance. By missing a direct hit on Miami, and inflicting less damage than expected on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Irma caused less property damage than was originally feared, the story says.
Louisiana
Lessons from Katrina on housing after the disaster. FEMA Administrator Brock Long is working with Texas Governor Gregg Abbott to get people back into their homes quicker after the lessons learned from poorly built trailers used after Katrina.
New York
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee will discuss technologies aimed at combatting cellphone-caused accidents on Monday, September 25, at 1 p.m. at the Westchester County Police Academy in Valhalla.
Oklahoma
Politico posted last week an in-depth story on how the state’s earthquakes could adversely impact the U.S.’s energy supplies. It was written by the author of Quakeland: On the Road to America’s Next Devastating Earthquake (Dutton 2017).
The state’s workers’ compensation loss costs are falling.
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.
