Earthquakes: Consumers Need Special Insurance for Coverage

5,000. That’s the number of earthquakes felt in the United States each year. Popular belief may consider California to be the state at most risk of an earthquake, but since 1900, earthquakes have caused damage in all 50 states, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
In fact, Oklahoma was struck by at least 10 minor earthquakes in a two-day period in late August 2009. These were strong enough to be felt throughout the central part of the state.
While Alaska experiences more earthquakes that any other state, California remains the greatest risk for widespread and catastrophic damage to property. A 2006 forecast by experts from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Southern California Earthquake Center, and the State Geological Survey said that the state is virtually certain to be hit by a major earthquake by 2028.


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Many Still Lack Flood Coverage As Hurricane Season Nears Its Peak

INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE
New York Press Office: (212) 346-5500; media@iii.org

NEW YORK, August 17, 2011 — Less than a fifth of U.S. homeowners have a flood insurance policy that protects their property and personal belongings, even though more than four out of every five natural disasters nationwide involve flooding, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

 

Coverage for flood damage resulting from surface water, including storm surge caused by hurricanes, is excluded under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies; however flood coverage is available both from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and from a few private insurance companies.

 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently upgraded its Atlantic hurricane season forecast. NOAA said it envisioned 14-19 named storms between August 4, 2011, and November 30, 2011, up from the 12-18 named storms the federal agency projected in May 2011. NOAA also said the number of 2011 Atlantic hurricanes would likely be closer to 7-10 in number, rather than the 6-10 hurricanes the agency predicted would develop in May 2011.

 

During the first six months of 2011 alone, the federal government declared 28 major flood disasters. This put the U.S. well ahead of the pace set in 2010, when 50 federally declared major flood disasters occurred during the entire year.

 

“People tend to underestimate the risk of flooding,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and consumer spokesperson for the I.I.I. “But, in fact, 90 percent of all natural disasters in this country involve flooding. It is important to note that there is a 30-day waiting period for flood insurance to go into effect, so don’t delay purchasing this important financial protection.”

 

While the risk of flood damage is real, a 2011 poll by the I.I.I. found that only 14 percent of American homeowners had a flood insurance policy. The percentage of homeowners with flood insurance was highest in the South, at 19 percent. Thirteen percent of Midwestern homeowners had a flood insurance policy in 2011, along with 12 percent of homeowners in the West and 5 percent in the Northeast.

 

Consumers can find out their risk of flood and the cost of a policy by going to the NFIP’s website: FloodSmart.gov.

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Internet Safety for Business Travelers

Readily available Wi-Fi, fast laptops and powerful smart phones make working on the road, on planes, in airports and in hotel rooms easier than ever. Although convenient, these improvements in technology make traveling offices more vulnerable to serious security threats.

A report released by the Symantec Corporation and the Ponemon Institute found that data breaches show no sign of leveling off and are more costly than ever. Findings also show that criminal access to mobile networks is easier in certain foreign countries. "Perils Mount to Devices and Data on the Road," NYT (Mar. 14, 2011).

Commentary

Laptops and mobile devices have numerous vulnerabilities including the risk of loss and theft.

There was a 46 percent increase in the amount of malware created for mobile devices between 2009 to 2010 according to McAfee, a security technology company.

Some employers are switching mobile devices to newer technology to limit the exposure of particularly sensitive information because older versions are more vulnerable. Employers also require employees to use virtual private networks, which lower the risk of interception when accessing public wireless sites.

In addition to equipping your computer with the most up to date security software, use these precautions when traveling for business:

• Never leave mobile devices unattended in hotel rooms unless they are locked or hidden away.
• Avoid free public Wi-Fi. Many hot spots set up by criminals look legitimate. Instead, use a secured wireless hotspot such as one on your wireless mobile device. If there is no other option available, enter the connection through a smart phone connection because it is more difficult to hack.
• Obtain an access key before using wireless connections provided by hotels to ensure a legitimate connection.
• Read company material on paper while traveling to eliminate the chance for a criminal to browse the contents of your laptop.

This informational piece was published on July 19, 2011.