At US$34 billion, estimated insured losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2014 were still high, despite being well below recent annual averages and being significantly below the US$45 billion tab for 2013, note preliminary estimates from Swiss Re’s sigma.Sigma figures released Wednesday show that of the US$34 billion in estimated insured losses in 2014, US$29 billion were triggered by natural catastrophe events compared with US$37 billion in 2013, notes a statement from Swiss Re, a wholesale provider of reinsurance, insurance and other insurance-based forms of risk transfer.