MARSH BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS

The widespread swath of damage that hurricane Zeta left last week from Louisiana to the Carolinas was likely to have caused a multi-billion dollar economic loss, with wind damage leading to at least $1bn in insured losses, according to a preliminary estimate by Aon’s Impact Forecasting unit. Little of the damage caused by storm surge and inland flooding is likely insured given the low take-up of cover from the National Flood Insurance Programme, the Aon unit said. Zeta was the 11th named storm and sixth hurricane to hit the US during the current hurricane season. It came ashore near Cocodrie, Louisiana, southwest of New Orleans, as a high-end category 2 hurricane.