Connect with us

E-News

$268b Losses From Natural Disasters Recorded In 2020, With 64% Uninsured

Published

on

Aon plc has launched its global Weather, Climate & Catastrophe Insight: 2020 Annual Report. The report evaluates the impact of global natural disaster events to identify trends, manage volatility and enhance resilience.  

The report reveals that the 416 natural catastrophe events of 2020 resulted in economic losses of USD268 billion – 8% above the average annual losses for this century – as costs continue to rise due to a changing climate, more people moving into hazard-prone areas and an increase in global wealth. Of this total, private sector and government-sponsored insurance programmrs covered USD97 billion, creating a protection gap of 64%, which is the portion of economic losses not covered by insurance. This highlights the importance of addressing the underserved by ensuring that there is increased access to affordable insurance products in the future.

“The global response to the socioeconomic volatility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has increased focus on other systemic risks – particularly climate change – and is causing a fundamental reordering of business priorities. This report highlights the increasing likelihood of ‘connected extremes’ and reinforces that leading organisations of the future will be defined by their ability to manage the global implications of concurrent catastrophic events,” said Greg Case, CEO of Aon. “In a highly volatile world, risk remains ever present, is more connected and, as a result, is also more severe – and 2020 has underscored this reality. It has also emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration between the public and private sectors, which will be essential to close the rising protection gap and build resilience against natural catastrophes.”

During the year, more than 8,000 people lost their lives due to natural catastrophes. Tropical cyclone was the costliest peril, causing more than USD78 billion in direct economic damage. It was closely followed by flooding (USD76 billion) and severe convective storm (USD63 billion). From a climate perspective, NOAA cited 2020 as the world’s second-warmest since 1880 for land and ocean temperatures at +0.98°C (+1.76°F) above the 20th-century average.

Steve Bowen, Director and Meteorologist for Aon’s Impact Forecasting team, commented: “The world continues to evolve as it is faced with new challenges around natural perils. While many private and public sector entities primarily focus on physical and human hazard risks, an increasing number of global regulative bodies are further pivoting towards how to handle emerging transitional and subsequent reputational risks. This is especially true as the financial and humanitarian risks surrounding climate-enhanced events become more evident on a daily basis. Focus at the corporate and federal levels will be critical around investments in risk mitigation, resilience, and sustainability as the landscape around climate change solutions continues to accelerate with renewed urgency.

Significant regional events during 2020 included:

  • Costliest year on record for global severe convective storms led by historic U.S. derecho
  • U.S. mainland endured a record-breaking 12 named storm landfalls, including six hurricanes
  • Super Typhoon Goni struck the Philippinesas the strongest landfalling storm ever recorded globally at 195 mph
  • Ciara became Europe’s costliest windstorm since Xynthia in 2010
  • Drought conditions reduced agricultural crop yields in Brazil and Argentina, burning 30% of the Pantanal Region

The most widespread Yangtze River Basin floods since 1998 caused USD35 billion of economic damage in China’s monsoon season.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

NIA Strives To Simplify Claims Payment

Published

on

By

By Sola Alabadan

The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) is working to simplify the claims payment process and enhance customer service, with a focus on prompt payment of claims and ease of onboarding insurance customers

NIA Chairman, Mr. Kunle Ahmed, stated this in Lagos during the maiden Insurance Week, with a call to action for Nigerians to embrace insurance.

The week-long event with the theme, “Insurance For All: Securing Nigeria’s Future,” was organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) under the leadership of the Institute’s President, Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, to create awareness about the various services and products offered by insurance companies.

The NIA boss said that the insurance week is for the insuring public and intending clients, hence insurers have come up with new products for their customers.

He said: “this week, all insurance practitioners are focused on activities that will further create awareness for the insurance industry, including prompt claims payment, insurance products, ease of onboarding insurance customers and general awareness.

The NIA Chairman also urged Nigerians to consider purchasing insurance products to secure their future.

He added that all arms of the industry is fully partcipating in the Insurance Week programme to increase insurance penetration and provide Nigerians with the protection they needed.

The NIA Chairman, cited the industry’s payment of N622 billion claims to customers in 2024 as an testament of its effectiveness and reliability.

Ahmed advised those with issues with insurance companies to reach out to the NIA or the CIIN for assistance.

He assured the public that the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is committed to protecting the rights and interests of clients.

“With a vibrant regulatory framework in place, the industry is working to ensure that insurance companies operate efficiently and effectively,”the NIA Chairman said.

Other dignitaries at the event included : Mr. Olusegun Omosehin, Commissioner For Insurance, Mr Eddie Efekoha, Chairman, Organising Planning Committee of the maiden Insurance Week, Prince Babatunde Oguntade, President, NCRIB, Mr Tope Smart, Chairman, NEM Insurance,among others.

The Insurance Week which began on Saturday, June 28, 2025 with the Insurance Awareness Walk, would continue on Tuesday with the Insurance Awareness Campaigns at Secondary Schools and MSMEs.

An Insurance Outreach would take place on Wednesday at major markets and stores, while an Hackathon competition would hold at CIFM, Asese on Thursday, where young minds, students, and professionals will come together to develop bespoke insurance products that meet the needs of customers.

On Friday would be the grand finale of the programme to recognise and award practitioners in the industry who have contributed significantly to promoting insurance in Nigeria.

Continue Reading

Business

CIIN Takes Insurance Education To Markets, Malls In Lagos

Published

on

By

The Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) recently organised Community Outreach and Roadshow in Lagos, as part of its broader mission to deepen insurance awareness and improve financial literacy among everyday Nigerians.

Held across key commercial hubs in Lagos, the roadshow made impactful stops at Sabo, Bariga, Oyingbo Market, Shoprite Ikeja, and SPAR Tejuosho, where the public was engaged on the relevance of insurance in everyday life.
Through vibrant street activations, interactive sessions, and one-on-one engagements, the initiative focused on demystifying insurance and breaking down its benefits in relatable terms.

At each location, insurance practitioners were on hand to share insights, answer questions, and distribute informative materials that addressed common misconceptions about insurance and highlighted the ease of access to insurance products tailored for individuals, traders, and small businesses.

The community outreach was part of the programmes lined up for the Insurance Week with the theme, “Insurance For All: Securing Nigeria’s Future”.
The one week long event was organised by the CIIN under the leadership of the Institute’s President, Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, to create awareness about the various services and products offered by insurance companies.

Speaking on the initiative, the Head of Brands and Event, Rex Insurance, Emmanuel Ndoh noted: “Insurance is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. We are proud to be part of this collaborative effort with CIIN to take insurance education directly to the people—where they live, shop, and work. Our goal is to build trust and show that with Rex Insurance, you’re not alone.”

This outreach effort is part of the programmes of the Insurance Week organised by the nation’s insurance industry to make insurance simpler, more accessible, inclusive and become a household name in the country.

Continue Reading

Business

Universal Insurance, NHIA, PTAD, Rite Foods, Sponsor NAIPE 2025 AGM

Published

on

By

The Universal Insurance Plc, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), as well as Rite Foods Limited, will be sponsoring the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) on July 8 in Lagos.
NAIPE is the umbrella body for journalists covering insurance and pension sectors in Nigeria.
Companies that sponsor the AGM have the unique opportunity to market their products and services to NAIPE members during the event who will in-turn push out the information to the general public through publication of stories and analysis in their mediums and platforms.
Stories generated from the event will be in the media for over one month.
The Universal Insurance Plc is one of the nation’s largest personal lines insurer with over N8 billion in assets, selling eight major lines of insurance, including auto, property and commercial.
Universal Insurance offers a broad spectrum of insurance products for all types of businesses, corporate and individuals with unique services delivery.
According to Universal Insurance Plc, “Our vision is to be a dominant, specialised non life insurer in Nigeria, creating and delivering value to stakeholders while our mission is to offer specialised non life insurance protection to clients inspired by innovation, efficiency and prompt claims settlement.”
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was established under the National Health Insurance Act which was signed into law on 19 May 2022, replacing the National Health Insurance Scheme Act of 1999.
As of today, data shows that about 20 million Nigerians are covered by the scheme.
NHIA offers several benefits, including financial protection against high medical costs, access to quality healthcare services, and a comprehensive benefits package that covers a wide range of medical needs.
Meanwhile, the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) was established in 2013 and drawing its mandate from the Pension Reform Act of 2014, PTAD was tasked with consolidating and managing pensions under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) for pensioners who retired on or before June 30, 2007 and did not transit to the Contributory Pension scheme.
PTAD has marked a significant milestone of revolutionising Nigeria’s public sector pension administrative system.
When the Directorate was created, it inherited a host of challenges that had long plagued the legacy pension offices. These offices, comprising the Police, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, and the Civil Service, as well as the Boards of Trustees of Treasury funded Parastatals, Universities and Research Institutions and Agencies, were historically managed in a fragmented, inefficient, and underfunded manner. By 2004, this mismanagement had culminated in pension liabilities exceeding N2 trillion.
At the helm of affairs of the Directorate is the Executive Secretary, Tolulope Abiodun Odunaiya, a dynamic and results-oriented professional with a proven track record of managing complex workflows and consistently driving measurable outcomes. She was appointed to the position in November 2024, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Rite Foods Limited is the producer of Bigi Drinks, Fearless Energy Drinks, Sosa Fruit Drinks, and Rite and Bigi Sausage Rolls.
The company ably led by managing director/CEO, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, believes in the power of innovation and its potential to change the recycling business.
As Nigeria’s top food and beverage manufacturer, it said: “we are committed to helping recyclers to adopt cutting-edge techniques to recycling plastic trash, particularly in coastal areas, among other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.”

Continue Reading