Swiss Re estimates that economic losses from natural disasters worldwide reach $100 billion in the first half of 2026, a marked drop from the same period a year earlier. The reinsurance firm reports the figure as the result of natural catastrophes occurring during the January–June timeframe.
The estimates are presented in contrast with Swiss Re’s figures for the first half of 2025, when losses were $152 billion. Both outlets cite Swiss Re to frame the change as a significant decline year over year, reflecting lower overall loss levels despite ongoing exposure to extreme weather and related hazards worldwide.
While the two reports rely on the same source and focus on the same headline number, they differ mainly in the way the figures are presented—one uses “US$100 billion” and the other “$100 bn”—without adding additional context such as the breakdown by disaster type or region.
