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Global disaster losses totaled $112B in the first half of 2026

Insurers covered $44B of the total, leaving a 60% protection gap, according to Munich Re.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Property Insurance

Natural catastrophes caused about $112 billion in losses worldwide during the first six months of 2026, according to Munich Re, with insured losses at about $44 billion.

That results in a 60% insurance gap for the period and brings overall losses in just below the ten-year inflation-adjusted average of $113 billion, with $50 billion insured.

The biggest single event was a double earthquake in Venezuela on June 24, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 near Morón, about 125 miles west of Caracas. Munich Re put preliminary total losses at around $30 billion, with insured losses of less than $1 billion.

Munich Re also pointed to record-breaking heat across North America and Europe, including a June reading of 41.8 degrees Celsius in Möckern, Germany. The company said heatwaves are now the natural hazard responsible for the most deaths, citing an estimate that heat-related deaths in Germany exceeded 5,000 between April.

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