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Chiba Heavy Rain Insurance Payouts at About 35.4 Billion Yen, Kumamoto Quake at About 23.8 Billion Yen, General Insurance Association Says
The General Insurance Association of Japan announced on the 17th that insurance payouts by non-life insurers related to August's heavy rain in Chiba Prefecture had reached a total of about 35.4 billion yen as of August 28, including projected amounts. The breakdown shows vehicle insurance covering 19,182 vehicles for a total of about 20.6 billion yen, and fire insurance covering 10,405 cases for a total of about 14.3 billion yen. Meanwhile, for the Kumamoto earthquake that struck in July, earthquake insurance payouts came to 30,838 cases, with total insurance payments reaching about 23.8 billion yen. Koji Ishikawa, chairman of the association, said new claims and inquiries continue to arrive daily, and stated that the industry as a whole will work on insurance payout procedures.
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Capgemini Study Finds 68% of Executives Prioritize Climate Adaptation as Net Zero Gaps Widen
A new Capgemini Research Institute report finds that 68% of executives now say their organization actively prioritizes climate adaptation, up from 56% in 2025, yet only 15% have fully quantified the financial impact of climate-related disruptions. The fifth edition of A World in Balance: The resilience reset, based on a survey of 2,100 executives at 701 organizations with more than $1 billion in annual revenue across 13 countries, also shows the share of organizations falling behind on net zero goals rising to 11% in 2026 from 1% in 2025, with 29% saying they have postponed their net zero objectives, compared with just 8% last year. Nearly nine in 10 organizations report climate-related supply-chain disruptions, and more than seven in 10 executives say securing access to critical resources such as energy, water and materials now influences sustainability decisions more than emissions-reduction targets. Sustainability spending reached 1.04% of revenue last year, above the 0.8% initially allocated, and 83% of organizations plan to increase climate adaptation spending over the next 12 to 18 months. Cyril Garcia, Global head of Sustainability services and Corporate Responsibility at Capgemini, said climate disruptions have become the new normal and that leaders can no longer defer climate action.
Cabinet approves national disaster insurance scheme covering 30 million households, starting October 1
The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a national disaster insurance system, as proposed by the Ministry of Interior through the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, to shift disaster management from post-event relief toward advance risk management and transfer through an insurance system. Operations will begin on October 1. Ekkaphop Pienpiset, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, said the system allows the state to determine in advance which risks it will retain and which will be distributed or transferred to the insurance system, helping reduce uncertainty in the budget burden and giving the public faster access to compensation. For residential coverage, the scheme will cover approximately 30 million households, based on housing statistics from the Bureau of Registration Administration under the Department of Provincial Administration as of September 10. It covers damage from floods, windstorms, and earthquakes, with maximum coverage of 100,000 baht per household per event. For floods, the initial compensation is 10,000 baht, with additional compensation of up to 90,000 baht per event. For windstorms and earthquakes, the initial compensation is 5,000 baht, with additional compensation of up to 95,000 baht per event. The scheme also provides coverage of 2 million baht per person in the event of death from such disasters. The Cabinet assigned the Bureau of the Budget to allocate budget funds in line with the specified framework and objectives, while the Office of the Insurance Commission, together with the Thai General Insurance Association, will procure insurers that are standard-compliant, stable, reliable, and fair. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation will serve as the budget-receiving unit and disburse funds to insurers in accordance with the prescribed criteria.
