Earth Science News
SPACEMART
US storms, natural disasters push up insurance costs: Swiss Re
US storms, natural disasters push up insurance costs: Swiss Re
by AFP Staff Writers
Zurich (AFP) Aug 9, 2023

Economic losses caused by natural disasters totalled $120 billion in the first six months of the year, reinsurance giant Swiss Re said Wednesday, slightly less than last year but sharply above the 10-year average.

Losses -- down from $123 billion in the same period of 2022 -- were largely driven by a series of widespread storms in the United States, said the Zurich-based group, which acts as an insurer for insurers.

Overall losses from natural catastrophes between January and June were almost twice as high as the annual six-month average for the last ten years.

This has pushed up costs for insurers, with insured losses from natural catastrophes in the period at $50 billion, Swiss Re said, slightly up from the $48 billion covered by insurance companies in the same period last year.

The costliest disaster of the year to date was the earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February.

The devastating quake caused sweeping economic losses estimated at $34 billion, of which some $5.3 billion were covered by insurance.

But insurers paid out $35 billion in damage caused by severe storms in the first half of the year -- nearly 70 percent of the total bill for insurers in the period, and almost all in the United States.

Meanwhile heavy rainfall in northern Italy caused the costliest weather-related event in the country since 1970, with estimated economic losses of $10 billion -- most of which are uninsured, said Swiss Re.

The increased number of cyclones and floods in large cities and towns will continue to drive up the cost from natural disasters, warned Martin Bertogg, head of Catastrophe Perils at Swiss Re.

He said the growth in insured losses was "driven by a warming climate but even more so, by rapidly growing economic values in urbanized settings, globally."

Related Links
The latest information about the Commercial Satellite Industry

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SPACEMART
Copernicus selects CGI for insurance sector information service
London, UK (SPX) Feb 26, 2016
CGI has been awarded a two year contract by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for the EU Copernicus programme to develop a proof-of-concept for a Sectoral Information Service (SIS) focused on the insurance sector. Funded by the European Commission, Copernicus uses information collected from satellite, land, sea and air to help industry and business sectors as well as policy-makers and scientists to understand and mitigate climate threat, adapt to change and capitalise on bus ... read more

SPACEMART
Moroccan navy rescues 60 migrants in Atlantic

EU chief offers 400 mn euros to help flood-hit Slovenia

Little warning and 'huge' losses, say China flood victims

At least 16 killed in landslide in Georgia

SPACEMART
Studying rainforests from the skies - radar technology measures biomass

Umbra achieves Commercial SAR milestone with 16-cm resolution

New method simplifies the construction process for complex materials

Sensing and controlling microscopic spin density in materials

SPACEMART
Biden to host Australian PM at White House

El Nino could imperil Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Norway dam breached after heavy rains

Land and sea efforts to save reefs must work together: study

SPACEMART
Telecommunications cable used to track sea ice extent in the Arctic

Antarctica vulnerable to extreme events

'Mighty Bad Land': A tale of danger and discovery in West Antarctica

Extreme cooling ended the first human occupation of Europe

SPACEMART
Wine grape disease spotted from skies above California

US orange juice prices hit record after storms, crop disease

NASA data helps Bangladeshi farmers save water, money, energy

China to remove tariffs on Australian barley as ties improve

SPACEMART
China rains death toll rises to 78 as new storm approaches

Death toll in China's Hebei floods rises to 29

Flights cancelled as tropical storm hits South Korea

Scores dead across northern China in wide scale flooding

SPACEMART
S.Africa should tackle 'environmental racism': UN expert

Top U.S. official holds 'frank, difficult' talks with coup leadership in Niger

Niger's coup leadership closes airspace as deadline to release president expires

Opposition mounts in Nigeria over possible Niger intervention

SPACEMART
A climate-orchestrated early human love story

Just 5000 steps can save your life

Indigenous groups call for bold steps at Amazon summit

Workers less productiv, make more typos in afternoon and especially on Fridays

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.