Comparing Claims from Catastrophic Earthquakes

In general, despite difficulties in accessing affected areas and communicating with claimants, claims for insured losses were reported promptly. Time to settle claims varied by country...

Between February 2010 and March 2011, the world was hit by four of the five most expensive insured earthquakes in history. As a broker to both local and multinational clients, Marsh was closely involved in helping the affected communities to recover.

In this paper we explore the earthquakes which struck Chile, New Zealand and Japan, and draw on the experiences of our employees and our clients, to share lessons on insurance claims arising from catastrophic events.

We analyse and compare the facts, coverage elements, policy features, and practical considerations in relation to each event so that those affected by future earthquakes might be better prepared and better positioned to recover more quickly.