alert - AIR Worldwide

ALERT
™
ALERT™ is an online service providing up-to-date information and loss
estimates for major natural catastrophes worldwide.
Obtaining reliable catastrophe loss information as quickly
as an actual event unfolds has become increasingly
important for insurers, reinsurers, and investors. This,
coupled with the opportunities available for hedging against
events in real time, makes access to timely information
regarding potential catastrophe losses exceedingly valuable.
ALERT™ (AIR Loss Estimates in Real Time) is an online
service providing up-to-date information and loss estimates
for major natural catastrophes worldwide.
Active Events
ALERT currently provides loss information for tropical
cyclones impacting the U.S., the Caribbean, and the AsiaPacific region, extratropical cyclones in Europe, and earthquakes in over 25 countries modeled by AIR. In the
case of U.S. hurricanes, for example, AIR begins posting event information up to 48 hours before projected
landfall. Hundreds of potential storm scenarios are simulated using a range of possible storm tracks, wind
speeds, and other intensity variables. Industry losses, as well as company-specific losses, can be estimated for
all storm scenarios. The most representative scenarios are posted on the ALERT website in the form of detailed
postal-code level maps of wind speeds and losses. A narrative description of the event parameters, location, and
reported course is also provided. Files containing all scenarios can be downloaded and input directly into AIR
software applications for further analysis.
In the case of major earthquakes, AIR posts information
within hours of the event. For modeled countries, AIR
seismologists begin running simulations using available
information on magnitude, focal depth and, if the ruptured
fault has been identified, rupture mechanism, fault length,
dip angle, etc. Detailed maps of intensity and losses are
posted on ALERT for selected scenarios and event sets
for all scenarios can be downloaded by AIR clients for
further analysis. Because there is considerable uncertainty
surrounding the actual parameters of an earthquake in
its immediate aftermath, AIR seismologists continue to
run simulations and may post updated loss estimates as
additional information comes in from seismic networks
around the world.
AIR has issued real-time loss estimates for every U.S.
hurricane since Hugo in 1989. Since then, the service has
expanded to include many regions of the world, providing
AIR clients with access to fast, far-reaching, integrated loss
information.
ALERT offers the following options:
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ALERT™ loss map for Windstorm Jeanette.
Jeanette struck northwestern Europe from
All AIR clients have access to summary information
October 26 through October 27, 2002.
about a posted event. Summaries include currently
available information for events such as meteorological
observations, storm direction, projected landfall locations, epicenter and magnitude.
In the case of hurricanes, CATRADER and CLASIC/2 clients can begin receiving probabilistic event sets prior
to hurricane landfall in order to analyze different scenarios of landfall location, storm track, and storm intensity, enabling them to develop ranges of loss estimates.
In the case of earthquakes and other events, once an event has occurred clients can download event sets in
order to estimate losses to specific treaties and portfolios.
www.air-worldwide.com
AIR Worldwide Corporation
101 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02199-7603
617.267.6645
www.air-worldwide.com
ALERT™ loss map for Hurricane Lilli, October
4, 2002. Lilli made landfall near Marsh
Island, Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane.
AIR began posting information about Lilli on
October 1st.
ALERT™ loss map for the magnitude 6.8
earthquake near Nisqually, Washington on
Febraury 28, 2001.
To find out more about AIR and ALERT, visit www.air-worldwide.com.
®
AIR Worldwide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISO.
© 2003 AIR Worldwide Corporation
ISO Corporate Headquarters w 545 Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310-1686 w 1.800.888.4476