Climate-based disasters caused $46 billion in damage and killed at least 138 in the 48 contiguous U.S. states last year, with inland flooding emerging as the costliest weather event for the first time since 1997. The number of billion-dollar occurrences … Source: Claims Journal

Drenching winter rains combined with the punishing effects of six years of drought are causing trees to topple across California, in some cases with deadly results. At least two people have been killed in the past month. Seemingly sturdy oaks, … Source: Claims Journal

A former director of an engineering firm charged with illegally altering reports about damage from Superstorm Sandy pleaded guilty to unauthorized practice of engineering in connection with the case, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced Tuesday. Matthew Pappalardo, 39, … Source: Claims Journal

The National Transportation Safety Board is urging faster action to correct unsafe wiring found in a type of small airplane that crashed in Northern California, killing all four on board the medical transport flight. The Piper PA-31T was carrying a … Source: Claims Journal

The former president of a compounding pharmacy blamed for a deadly meningitis outbreak in 2012 put “profits over patients” and ignored repeated warning signs that drugs manufactured by his company were being contaminated by mold, a prosecutor told jurors Monday … Source: Claims Journal

They’re called “atmospheric rivers” and they can dump massive quantities of Pacific Ocean water on California, carrying it through the air from as far away as Hawaii. Here’s a look at the weather phenomenon that has swelled the state’s rivers, … Source: Claims Journal

Confie Acquires Auto Insurance America Confie, a national provider of personal and commercial lines insurance, announced the acquisition of Auto Insurance America from Minn.-based Western National Mutual Insurance Company. Auto Insurance America is a leading provider of non-standard auto insurance … Source: Claims Journal

Alexa, are you spying on me? It’s a fair question in light of attempts by authorities investigating the slaying of an Arkansas man to obtain voice recordings collected by an Amazon Echo speaker and its Alexa digital assistant. Yet the … Source: Claims Journal

Montana lawmakers are scheduled to take up a bill that would require air ambulance providers and insurance companies to negotiate payments for services, even if the provider is not in network with the patient’s insurance company. Senate Bill 44 follows … Source: Claims Journal

Five U.S. senators have called on the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct a comprehensive review of all passenger railroads’ implementation of sleep apnea testing for engineers and inward-facing cameras on trains. A letter, sent Sunday to NTSB Chairman Christopher … Source: Claims Journal