November 2015

In Europe, windstorms can be like London busses: you wait forever and then several come along together. This clustering is a natural feature of extratropical cyclones over Europe.

People have been figuring out better ways to do things since our prehistoric ancestors began using basic tools. In today's competitive and highly regulated insurance market, we continue to look for ways to do more, faster.

The unprecedented terror attacks that occurred last Friday, November 13, impacted several locations across the city of Paris and undoubtedly began a new chapter in the fight against global terrorism.

We are having a fabulous Fall here in Boston, and that means chilly mornings, shorter days, spectacular foliage, apple cider, and pumpkin pies. It also means insurers are busy planning next year's anticipated growth.

If we ask ourselves where in the world the greatest threat from storm surge is, the Philippines may not immediately come to mind. But it should.

No, I'm not referring here to Aesop, the ancient creator of The Tortoise and the Hare and all those other moral tales, but to the Actuarial Standards of Practice (ASOP).

Sea levels are rising inexorably, yet people around the world continue to flock to areas at risk of coastal flooding and to build on them. Over time, storm surge has proven to be an important driver of insured losses.