Heatwave death risk was underestimated, warns Swiss Re CEO
Swiss Re's CEO says heatwave fatality risks were underestimated, as Europe's record heat drives thousands of excess deaths, mostly among the elderly.
The chief executive of reinsurance giant Swiss Re has warned that authorities have consistently failed to appreciate the true danger heatwaves pose to human life, as Europe grapples with a summer of record-breaking temperatures and mounting fatalities.
Andreas Berger, speaking to Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, said the risk of heatwaves and the deaths they cause had been underestimated. He stressed the need to raise awareness of the dangers, which he described as a growing concern for public health.
His comments come as Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, records thousands of excess deaths linked to extreme heat. The most vulnerable have been people aged 65 and above, with France and Spain among the nations hit hardest in recent weeks.
Berger made the remarks after Swiss Re posted a 9% rise in net profit for the first half of 2026. He noted it was still too early to determine how the current excess mortality would ultimately affect the Zurich-based company's financial results.