Losses from a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand Feb. 21 (Feb. 22 local time) could total as much as $12 billion, according to one estimate cited in a note to clients from a JP Morgan Chase & Co. analyst.

Property and casualty carrier employment is at the lowest level in more than 20 years, according to data published by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and compiled by the Insurance Information Institute.

Losses from the Feb. 22 New Zealand earthquake are expected to be in the $30 million to $40 million range for Swiss-based Allied World Assurance Company Holdings.

Germany-based Hannover Re said it expects to take as much as $209 million in losses from the Feb. 22 New Zealand earthquake.

Germany-based Hannover Re said it expects to take as much as $209 million in losses from the Feb. 22 New Zealand earthquake.

Aon Benfield said assessing insured losses from the latest Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake will be “extremely difficult and complex” because of an earlier quake, known as the Darfield earthquake, that struck the same region in September 2010.

When an actress insists on performing her own stunts, insuring a big budget film can prove quite a stunt in and of itself.

A storm that affected 30 states is estimated to have caused up to $1.4 billion in damages according to AIR Worldwide.