2020 catastrophes News

Insured Losses for Europe’s Storm Sabine (aka Ciara/Elsa) Estimated at €1.6B: PERILS

The industry loss footprint for extratropical cyclone “Sabine” – also known as “Ciara” and “Elsa” – is estimated at €1.61 billion (US$1.9 billion), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. Cyclone Sabine hit the …

Marine Insurance Losses Likely to Be Under $250M from Beirut Port Blast: Carpenter

Insurance claims for damage to ships, goods and the port itself after a warehouse explosion last week in the port of Beirut were likely to total less than $250 million, reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter said on Monday. Overall insured losses …

Oil Leak from Cargo Ship Pollutes Mauritius Beaches as Insurers Assess Liability

The oil cleanup from a leaking cargo ship that ran aground off the coast of Mauritius continues while the government and insurance firms begin probing liability for the accident. The incident has befouled the white-sand beaches of the Mauritian coast …

Beirut Port Explosion to Cost Insurers Approximately $3 Billion: Sources

Insured losses from the Beirut port warehouse explosion are likely to total around $3 billion, similar to those from an explosion at the Chinese port of Tianjin in 2015, industry sources and analysts say. The blast on Tuesday, the biggest …

Ships Diverted to Tripoli to Keep Lebanon Supply Lines Running After Beirut Port Blast

Leading container lines are diverting ships to Lebanon’s smaller terminal of Tripoli after the devastating explosion at Beirut’s port that killed 145 people also paralyzed vital trade. Lebanon, which imports almost all it uses, relies on container ships to bring …

After Beirut Port Explosion, AM Best Comments on Potential Insurance Exposures

The devastating explosion at the Beirut’s port on Tuesday, Aug. 4 caused many casualties and considerable damage, but local insurance penetration rates in Lebanon generally are low, said AM Best in a market commentary. For the international market, however, marine …

Third Wave of Severe Flooding Expected in China

China warned that the worst of the deluges that have led millions to be evacuated may be yet to come, after a third wave of floods formed in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River on Sunday. “The flood control …

Global Natural Catastrophe Losses During H1 Ranged from $68B to $75B: Munich Re, Aon

Munich Re and Aon both issued reports this week on the economic and insurance costs of global natural catastrophes during the first half, which varied in magnitude by $7 billion. While Munich Re estimated that natural disasters across the globe …

Excessive Floods Endanger Aging Chinese Dams and Could Cause ‘Black Swan’ Disaster

The dam at a small reservoir in China’s Guangxi region gave way last month after days of heavy rain in a collapse that could be a harbinger of sterner tests for many of the country’s 94,000 aging dams as the …

January’s Hailstorms in Australia Cost Insurers an Estimated A$1.8B (US$1.3B): PERILS

The industry loss footprint for the January 2020 Australian hailstorms, which occurred Jan. 19-21, 2020, are estimated at A$1.8 billion (US$1.3 billion), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. The figure is based on …