SDV Insights

California, and the greater Western United States, has experienced devastating wildfires over the last ten years. Not only are the fires more destructive than years past, they are no longer constrained to specific seasons. Because one of the effects of climate change is a dryer and hotter climate in the West, California is susceptible to fires year round. This means that it is increasingly a matter of when, not if, your home or business may be susceptible to a wildfire.

SDV's Natural Disaster Recovery Group presents the Hurricane Handbook: A Policyholder's Guide to Handling Claims during Hurricane Season. This handbook intends to be a practical guide on policyholder issues, both homeowners and business owners alike, when preparing for hurricane season and handling claims after a loss due to a hurricane.

If you suffered damage as a result of a hurricane, you should submit a claim under any insurance policy you have that might apply. This includes flood insurance, homeowner's insurance, renter's insurance, condo insurance, and auto insurance. Some of these policies may have limitations, or even not apply, to losses associated with hurricanes, but the best practice is to submit the claim to ensure no opportunities for coverage missed.

The devastating extreme cold weather event in Texas on February 14-18, 2021, often referred to as Winter Storm Uri, caused significant damages to homes and businesses in the region. Temperatures during the winter storm were the coldest on record since 1883, with some areas reaching as low as negative 6 degrees.

After suffering historically destructive fires in 2018, California endured five of the six largest fires in state history in 2020. Nearly 10,000 fires burned over 4.2 million acres--making 2020 the most significant California wildfire season on record

In New Jersey Transit Corp. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's London, New Jersey's highest court upheld an appellate decision finding that New Jersey Transit Corporation ("NJT") was entitled to full coverage under its property insurance policy for damages caused by Superstorm Sandy.

Five minutes after I parked my car, a tree fell on it. On Tuesday, May 15th I pulled into my driveway, in my small Connecticut neighborhood, under a grey sky. As soon as I walked in the house, the lights flickered. And then suddenly there was a loud "Crack!" and "Crash!" and the sound of breaking glass. I looked out the window and trees were bent 90 degrees, then snapping, and then flying up instead of falling down.

Recently, a New Jersey Magistrate ruled that an insurer did not have to provide coverage for a chocolatier's property damage and business interruption losses due to Hurricane Sandy.

As Hurricane Harvey leaves its destructive mark on Texas, policyholders are left to pick up the pieces. Coincidentally, a new Texas law scheduled to take effect on September 1 could limit your insurance recovery.

Hurricane Harvey will test many risk managers' insurance programs and response plans as it's been over 10 years since a major hurricane made landfall in the U.S.