Earth-observing satellites can map natural phenomena such as floods and earthquakes, track hurricanes and monitor land subsidence across the globe. This information can be valuable to insurance companies for risk and damage assessment.

Earth-observing satellites can map natural phenomena such as floods and earthquakes, track hurricanes and monitor land subsidence across the globe. This information can be valuable to insurance companies for risk and damage assessment.

WASHINGTON, Oct.

LONDON, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent earthquake and tsunami have caused terrible devastation in Japan. In addition to the loss of life and human suffering, this catastrophe has resulted in massive economic damage. Part of the economic losses will be absorbed by the insurance industry.

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has shipped the first two generally available IBM zEnterprise 196 mainframe systems to Swiss Re, one of the world's largest reinsurers.