Destructive thunderstorms in North America and Europe and a series of devastating earthquakes last year cost the world around $250 billion in damages, according to a new report from the world's largest reinsurance company.
In Europe, thunderstorm losses amounted to $10 billion, of which $8 billion was insured.
It said such high thunderstorm losses were unprecedented for the U.S. and Europe.
Munich Re said that while the economic and insured losses from 2023 may not appear extraordinary, it marks another year of "extremely high" damages even without any so-called mega-disasters in industrialized countries.
In 2022, for example, Hurricane Ian was found to have resulted in overall economic losses of a whopping $100 billion and insured losses of $60 billion.
Persons:
Hurricane Ian, Ernst Rauch, Rauch
Organizations:
Munich Re, U.S, CNBC, videoconference
Locations:
North America, Europe, Munich