Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report Impact Forecasting — 2013

Global natural disasters in 2013 combined to cause economic losses of USD192 billion, 4% below the ten year average of USD200 billion. The losses were generated by 296 separate events, compared to an average of 259. The disasters caused insured losses of USD45 billion, 22% below the 10-year average of USD58 billion and the lowest total since 2009. 

In a reversal from 2012, when the year’s largest events occurred in the United States, the largest global events of 2013 were heavily concentrated in Europe and Asia. Notable events during the year in these regions included major flooding in Central Europe, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, and Australia, in addition to Super Typhoon Haiyan’s landfall in the Philippines.

Flood represented 35% of all global economic losses during the year, which marked its highest percentage of aggregate losses since 2010. Severe drought conditions also contributed to billion-dollar (USD) losses in Brazil, China, New Zealand, and the U.S. Despite 84% of the economic losses occurring outside of the U.S., it still accounted for 45% of all insured losses globally, because of greater substantial insurance penetration.