First-half insured nat cat losses at $42B: Swiss ReGlobal insured losses from natural catastrophes totaled approximately $42 billion in the first half of 2026, according to a report Tuesday from Swiss Re. It was the lowest first-half total since 2020 and below the trend estimate of $66 billion, the report said. Severe convective storms, mostly in the U.S., were the main driver of claims, causing an estimated $28 billion in insured losses, the lowest since 2021’s inflation-adjusted $21 billion, and below the trend estimate of $36 billion. “However, given Venezuela’s low insurance penetration, insured losses will likely represent only a small share,” Swiss Re said. Europe generally does not combine the extremely high hazard levels and high insured values seen in California,” the report said.