Fortunately, by the standards of major natural disasters, the toll of death and injury is so far relatively limited although, sadly, it is bound to rise.

FORBES: The Japanese Earthquake: It Could Have Been Worse

Thanks to a decade without major natural disasters following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, property and casualty insurers were awash with capital and had little need to hunt for more.

ECONOMIST: Catastrophe bonds

There's another set of statistics that might be weighing on governments' minds: the estimates of damages from natural disasters, which are always published at this time of year by the major reinsurers.

BBC: EU's aviation charge is a drop for China's airlines