Insured losses to offshore platforms, rigs, and pipelines are estimated to be between $700 million and $1.5 billion, according to industry experts.

That is markedly below $2 billion to $3 billion of insured losses suffered by operators during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as estimated by the Insurance Information Institute.

Steve Bowen, managing director and head of Catastrophe Insight on the Impact Forecasting team at Aon, said: “As larger-scale disasters occur with more intensity and subsequently result in greater impacts, this has put a spotlight on areas where gaps lie in humanitarian and insurance protection. This is true regardless of whether a country is identified as developed or emerging. Hurricane Ida’s catastrophic impacts in the United States highlighted how much work is yet to be done to better insure around inland and coastal flooding. An even greater gap is found in Haiti following the major earthquake that once again has the country facing a challenging recovery. How governmental bodies work with private sector groups to improve hazard protection and aim to better and more smartly rebuild will be key to lowering future natural peril risk.”