Munich Re News

Extreme Weather Sends Insured Losses 70% Above Historical Norms

Natural catastrophes caused about $62 billion of insured losses in the first half of 2024 — roughly 70% above the 10-year average — as extreme wildfires, droughts and floods upend historical norms. The data, which were compiled by Munich Re, …

Natural Disasters Led to $250B in Global Losses Last Year

Extreme storms and other natural disasters cost the world about $250 billion of losses last year, with less than half that amount actually covered by insurers, according to data compiled by Munich Re. The bill exceeds the 10-year average, and …

Insured Losses From Natural Catastrophes Set to Top $100 Billion for 3rd Year in a Row

Claims for weather-related incidents are set to exceed $100 billion for the third year in a row, as floods, hail and wildfires linked to climate change become more frequent. Munich Re has put the total global insured costs of natural-catastrophe …

$2M Insurance Policy in Effect for Hawaii Coral Reefs in time for Hurricane Season

HONOLULU (AP) — An environmental group has a $2 million insurance policy on Hawaii’s coral reefs, which is in effect in time for a busier hurricane season that could damage the vital natural resources that are increasingly under threat from …

Insured Losses Hit $120 Billion as Extreme Weather Spreads

The insurance industry is struggling to adapt to a new normal in which losses fueled by climate change are now regularly exceeding $100 billion a year. Insured losses from natural disasters hit about $120 billion in 2022, most of which …

Pipeline Blasts Leave Nord Stream in Insurance Limbo

LONDON –– With the mystery of the blasts that destroyed undersea gas pipelines between Russia and Germany unsolved, Nord Stream 1’s insurers and reinsurers are grappling with how to respond to hundreds of millions of dollars in potential claims. Munich …

Hurricane Ida, Europe Floods Made 2021 Costly For Disasters

BERLIN (AP)–Damage wrought by Hurricane Ida in the U.S. state of Louisiana and the flash floods that hit Europe last summer helped make 2021 one of the most expensive years for natural disasters, reinsurance company Munich Re said Monday. The …

With Sponges and Petitions, Climate Activists Take on Insurers

FRANKFURT — A prominent activist is calling on insurers like Swiss Re to explore suing major oil companies for climate-related damages, the latest volley in a years-long campaign that pits environmentalists against the insurance industry. The tactic urged by The …

Munich Re 2020 Profit Plunges 55% as Pandemic Takes Toll

FRANKFURT — German reinsurance group Munich Re expects net profit to bounce back this year after more than halving in 2020 as the coronavirus crisis helped drive claims to a near-decade high. Major losses in 2020 for the virus and …

Insurers Face ‘Mind-Blowingly’ Large Loss if Olympics Canceled

LONDON — Insurers are facing a $2-3 billion loss if the Tokyo Olympics are canceled this year, amounting to the largest ever claim in the global event cancellation market, brokers say. With less than six months until the Games are …