More than 97,000 people lost their lives due to natural catastrophes or man-made disasters in 2005, according to a study conducted by Swiss Re sigma, as a result of almost 400 catastrophes.
In total the damage resulting from these catastrophes was estimated at over $230bn.
Hurricane Katrina was estimated to have caused $135bn of damage, Wilma to have cost $20bn, Rita $15bn and Dennis $4bn. The Kashmir earthquake losses are estimated to be $5bn.
Man-made disasters triggered damage totalling $10bn, the most costly being the terrorist attack in London in July, explosions in oil processing plants in Canada in January and in the US in March, and the riots in France in October and November.
Approximately one third, or $83bn, of these losses was covered by insurance - $78bn from natural catastrophes and $5bn from manmade disasters.
Hurricane Katrina alone triggered claims of $45bn, followed by hurricanes Rita and Wilma at $10bn each and Dennis at $1bn. Storm Erwin in Europe saw the market incur losses of $1.9bn.
In 2004, insured catastrophe losses had amounted to $48bn.
For more information visit: Swiss Re
