Risk REconsidered: a Swiss Re podcast

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Intro

In Swiss Re's inaugural podcast, we delve into the latest trends and challenges in the world of risk. The first series focuses on mitigating climate risk, exploring topics ranging from tornado chasing to the science behind natural disasters.

In this series, we will talk about some of the most pressing issues related to climate change and its impacts on our society, economy, and environment. We will also discuss how the insurance industry and other stakeholders can work together to reduce risks and increase the resilience of our communities.

Each episode offers unique insights from Swiss Re experts, along with guest speakers from various industries worldwide. Join us as we rethink risk and uncover new opportunities for innovation and resilience.

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Episode 5 Accumulation alert: remembering the 2011 Thai floods

In our latest episode of Risk REconsidered, we shift to a video format as we mark the 15th anniversary of massive flooding in Thailand that began as a regional disaster but grew to into a global supply-chain crisis.

Balz Grollimund, who heads Swiss Re's Catastrophe Perils team, says these historic floods endure as reminder of why insurers and reinsurers must work diligently to manage risks and exposures that can accumulate quickly across their portfolios, producing losses well beyond expectations.

Like Grollimund says, the Thai floods – still the costliest floods ever for the insurance industry – continue to provide relevant takeaways that we can apply to strengthen society's ability to prepare for and recover from natural disasters.

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For more on how Swiss Re can address some of the issues raised in the episode, visit

Learn more about the global impact of natural catastrophes.

Discover Nat Cat sigma 1/2026

Library Additional episodes

  • Episode 4: Above the waters: preparing for flood risk
    Host Shari Elliker speaks with Vineet Kumar of Swiss Re and Andrew Hall of the Insurance Council of Australia about shifting climate patterns, urbanisation and the mounting costs of extreme rainfall.
    Play video
  • Episode 3: Large loss events: designing for disaster
    Listen to Martin Bühler and Dr Anne Cope unpack the drivers of the Los Angeles wildfire losses and explore new research to strengthen home resilience.
    Play video
  • Episode 2: Eying hurricane damage: The real forces behind storm losses
    Listen to Matt, Phil and Syd discuss the role of hurricane forecasts for insurers and examine drivers of storm losses.
    Play video
  • Episode 1: Weathering the storm
    Listen to Elisabeth, Davide and Jana discuss all things severe convective storms.
    Play video
  • Swiss Re's Risk REconsidered Trailer
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for more insights and risk knowledge Mitigating climate risk

The effects of climate change and global warming are already evident and shaking up our risk landscape: warmer average temperatures, rising sea levels, melting ice caps, longer and more frequent heatwaves, erratic rainfall patterns and more weather extremes.

A most urgent question we need to ask is not only how to tackle climate change, but also how we can best adapt to a changing climate and avert the most damaging consequences – in short, how to mitigate climate risk.

Discover about Mitigating climate risk

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