Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd expects to take a hit of $70 million from catastrophes in its third-quarter results.That total comprises $30 million from US events including Hurricane Irene and the Texas wildfires, $20 million from US regional aggregate covers and $10 million from the Danish floods in July. The company also estimates a $10 million loss from the New Zealand earthquake in June.Meanwhile Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd has announced initial loss estimates of $24 million for the third quarter.Those include $10 million from Hurricane Irene and $14 million for other natural catastrophe events (comprising US, Scandinavia and Asia weather-related events) during that period.In addition, there was an increase in the second quarter 2011 US severe weather-related losses of $17 million, from $65 million at June 30, 2011 to $82 million, which was consistent with the increase in estimated market losses from these events to $20 billion from $15 billion.The insurer’s aggregate estimated losses from other 2011 catastrophe events (Australia floods, New Zealand earthquakes, and Japan earthquake and tsunami) remain unchanged.l Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance Ltd and Aspen Insurance UK Ltd have had their financial strength ratings of A (excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” affirmed by AM Best Europe Ratings Services Ltd.