Research and Trends News

Landfills Soon Could Be Inundated With Thousands of Wind Turbine Blades: Study

A new study led by the University of South Australia indicates tens of thousands of wind turbine blades will end up in landfills by the end of the decade unless end-of-life programs are established soon. The study, led by Professor …

Floods, Storms Drive Global Insured Catastrophe Losses of US$38B in H1 2022: Swiss Re

A series of winter storms in Europe, record floods in Australia and South Africa as well as a high number of thunderstorms in the U.S. and Europe resulted in US$35 billion of insured losses from natural catastrophes in the first …

England Records Driest July Since 1935 Amid Searing Heat Wave

England had the driest July since 1935 amid a searing heat wave that pushed infrastructure to the brink and severely disrupted travel. The unusually dry weather came as temperatures rose above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time. …

Climate Change Made Deadly UK Heat Wave at Least 10 Times More Likely: Study

The UK’s heat wave earlier this month fueled so many blazes in London that the city’s fire service was busier than any day since Nazi attacks in World War II. More than 840 people may have died in England and …

Global Commercial Insurance Rates Rise 9%, Continuing Moderating Trend: Marsh

Global commercial insurance prices increased 9% in the second quarter of 2022 (down from an 11% increase in Q1), continuing a trend of moderating rate increases that began in Q1 2021, according to the Global Insurance Market Index released by …

Natural Disasters Cost Insurers $39B During H1 2022, 18% More Than Average: Aon

Insured losses from global natural disaster events were estimated at $39 billion during the first half of 2022, 18% higher than the 21st century average of $33 billion, driven by persistent severe convective storm (SCS) events, according to Aon in …

Europe Wildfire Damage Jumps 75%; Models Need More Development: Chaucer

Damage from large wildfires in Europe has jumped dramatically, with a 75% increase in the amount of land burned in the latest year, according to analysis by Chaucer, the specialty re/insurer, which warns that modeling for wildfire risk in Europe …

Older and Younger Executives Disagree About Remote Work Arrangements

Bosses and workers rarely agree on what matters when it comes to the future of work. But there’s division even within the c-suite, particularly regarding the disparate treatment remote and in-office workers can face. Younger executives cited those inequities as …

Low Water Levels in Rhine River Could Have Similar Hit on German Economy as 2018

Low water levels in the Rhine river may have a similar impact on German economic output as they did in 2018, according to Berenberg. That was the last year in which the river — a key waterway that’s critical for …

Lost Luggage Claims Jump 30% Compared to Pre-Pandemic Levels: Mapfre

The number of travelers reporting stranded luggage this summer jumped 30% from 2019, according to Spanish insurer Mapfre SA. More bags are going missing as short-staffed airports and airlines struggle to keep up with luggage handling alongside surging travel demand. …