Two Insurers Add Effort To Tsunami Relief
By Mark E. Ruquet
NU Online News Service, Jan. 14, 4:04 p.m. EST?Nationwide and Philadelphia Insurance Companies said they would be matching employee donations to aid victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami that killed more than 150,000 in South Asia and East Africa.[@@]
Nationwide Foundation, an independent corporation funded by contributions from Nationwide companies, said it would match personal contributions of $25 or more made by associates to the United Way International's South Asia Response Fund.
The Columbus, Ohio-based company said there are more than 30,000 associates who will have the opportunity to contribute.
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.-based Philadelphia Insurance said that in addition to company contributions, it would match all employee donations to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The company did not release how much its corporate contribution would be.
Insurance losses from the event are expected to be negligible, with some estimates putting losses at less than $10 billion.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake had a 9.0 magnitude on the 10-point Richter scale, causing a tsunami that claimed more than 153,200 lives. There are 27,000 listed as missing. Most of the lives taken were in Indonesia, where more than 106,000 fatalities were counted as of yesterday.
The tsunami extended as far as Antarctica, USGS said.
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