Swiss Re: Global insured natural catastrophe losses hit $42bn in the first half of 2026

Stuart Stone
clock • 3 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

Lowest first-half losses since 2020 'does not mean the risk has gone away’, Swiss Re warns, as record heat and dry conditions set the stage for active wildfire season

The world has suffered £42bn in insured losses from natural catastrophes so far in 2026, less than half that experienced during the same six month period the previous year, according to Swiss Re. The...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

Stuart Stone
Author spotlight

Stuart Stone

View profile
More from Stuart Stone

Fossil-based fibres drive up fashion industry emissions for second consecutive year

Mothers Rise Up urges Prime Minister to better protect children from deadly heatwaves

More on Risk

Report: World should now expect $450bn a year in losses from natural disasters
Risk

Report: World should now expect $450bn a year in losses from natural disasters

Increase in severity of storms, floods, wildfires and more - as well as rising property values and insurance costs - spurs surge in modelled losses from natural catastrophes in a given year, according to Verisk

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 01 September 2026 • 4 min read
Mothers Rise Up urges Prime Minister to better protect children from deadly heatwaves
Risk

Mothers Rise Up urges Prime Minister to better protect children from deadly heatwaves

Campaign group delivers open letter signed by almost 30,000 people to Prime Minister Andy Burnham

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 01 September 2026 • 5 min read
Campaigners warn 'fossilflation' is hitting households worldwide
Risk

Campaigners warn 'fossilflation' is hitting households worldwide

With the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz entering its seventh month, campaigners have highlighted how reliance on fossil fuels is driving inflation right across the global economy

James Murray
James Murray
clock 28 August 2026 • 6 min read