2016 catastrophes News

Loss Estimate for October 2016 Italian Quakes Rises to US$244.4M: PERILS

The property insurance market’s losses from the series of earthquakes to hit Central Italy between Oct. 26 and Oct. 30, 2016 has risen to €208 million (US$244.4 million), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry wide catastrophe …

Insured Losses for August 2016’s Italy Quake Revised Upward to $127.4M: PERILS

The final property insurance market loss estimate for the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that hit Central Italy on Aug. 24, 2016 has increased to €108 million (US$127.4 million), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. …

New Zealand Eyes Revamping Building Standards After November Quake

New Zealand’s government said Friday [March 31] the partial collapse of a modern office building’s interior during an earthquake last November was unacceptable and could have killed people. Minister for Building and Construction Nick Smith said officials will review the …

Lloyd’s Reports £2.1B ($2.6B) Profit for 2016, Unchanged from 2015

Lloyd’s reported 2016 pretax profit of £2.1 billion pounds ($2.6 billion), level with 2015, despite a worsening of the market’s combined ratio at 97.9 percent, compared with 90.0 percent in 2015. Return on capital was 8.1 percent in 2016 compared …

Nat Cats Cost Insurers $39.5B in 2016, Highest Level in 4 Years: Willis Re

Insured loss estimates from major natural catastrophes totaled US$39.5 billion during 2016, which is the highest level since 2012 when market losses totaled US$60 billion, according to a report published by Willis Re, the reinsurance division of Willis Towers Watson. …

Insured Loss Estimate for Italy’s October Quakes Hits $134.2M: PERILS

PERILS AG has disclosed its second loss estimate for the series of earthquakes which hit Central Italy between Oct. 26 and Oct. 30, 2016. Affecting the regions of Lazio, Marche and Umbria, the series included three major earthquakes with moment …

26% of Natural Disaster Economic Losses in 2016 Were Insured: Aon Benfield Cat Report

Overall, just 26 percent ($54 billion) of overall economic losses caused by natural disasters worldwide during 2016 were covered by insurance as a higher percentage of damage occurred in areas with a lower insurance penetration. However, the public and private …

Canada’s 2016 Nat Cats Bring Record Insured Damages of $3.7B

Insured damages from Canadian natural catastrophes during 2016 topped C$4.9 billion (US$3.7 billion) – smashing the previous annual record of C$3.2 billion (US$2.4 billion) set in 2013, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. “From the wildfires that swept through …

Global Natural Catastrophes Cost Insurers $50B in 2016: Munich Re

Insurers paid out around $50 billion for natural disaster claims last year, almost double 2015’s payout of $27 billion, reinsurer Munich Re said in its annual natural catastrophe review on Wednesday. Earthquakes in Japan and devastating floods in China – …

Philippines Hunts for Crew of Ship Sunk by Typhoon Nock-Ten; AIR Comments

The Philippine coast guard pressed its search Tuesday for 18 crewmen from a cargo ship that sank at the height of Typhoon Nock-Ten, which struck the country on Christmas Day. Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said 14 other crewmen have …