Q1 global catastrophe recap (April 2025)

The “Q1 2025 Global Catastrophe Recap” by Aon provides an analytical summary of natural disaster events that occurred globally in the first quarter of 2025. It assesses the economic and insured losses, human fatalities, and structural impacts from various catastrophes such as wildfires, earthquakes, storms, and floods. The report also examines geographic distributions of losses, insurance market responses, and the performance of early warning systems. It aims to help stakeholders—including insurers, governments, and emergency planners—understand the financial and humanitarian impacts of Q1 disasters, improve future risk mitigation, and refine disaster risk management practices.

Q1 2025 recorded global economic losses of at least $83 billion, with insured losses reaching $53 billion—the second-highest on record for a first quarter. Catastrophic wildfires in California, namely the Palisades and Eaton Fires, accounted for over $52.5 billion in combined losses. The Myanmar earthquake resulted in over 5,300 deaths and significant regional damage, becoming one of Southeast Asia’s deadliest disasters. The U.S. bore 95% of insured losses due to high insurance penetration. The report also highlighted improved early warning systems in some cases, but exposed ongoing vulnerabilities in disaster preparedness and response, particularly in conflict zones and underinsured regions.