Damages caused by natural disasters around the world amounted to about 120 billion dollars (109 billion euros) in the first half, according to an estimate by Swiss Re, with storms in the United States inflating the bill for insurers.
This figure is slightly lower than that of the first half of 2022, when the damages had been estimated at around 123,000 million dollars, while the damages covered by insurance companies have increased somewhat, up to 50,000 million dollars, compared to the 48,000 million of the previous year. , the Swiss reinsurer said in a statement on Wednesday. The costliest disaster was the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
Storms responsible for more than two thirds of the damages covered
The economic losses are valued at $34 billion, according to a preliminary estimate by the World Bank, and the costs to insurers are estimated at $5.3 billion, according to calculations by Swiss Re, which acts as the underwriter of the insurers.
But it is thunderstorms and associated weather events, including hail, heavy rain, wind and sudden changes in temperature, that have driven up insurer bills the most. They accounted for almost 70% of the damages covered, the insurance companies bill amounted to 35 billion dollars.
The United States alone accounted for $34 billion in insured losses, and the storms cost insurers $34 billion there. Ten storms caused over a billion dollars in damage, with Texas being the hardest hit state.
Source: BFM TV
