Facts + Statistics: Winter storms

Winter storms caused an estimated $1 billion in insured losses in 2016, down from $3.5 billion in 2015, according to Munich Re. From 1996 to 2015 winter storms resulted in about $30 billion in insured catastrophe losses (in 2015 dollars), or about $1.5 billion a year on average, according to Property Claim Services (PCS).

Inflation-Adjusted U.S. Insured Catastrophe Losses By Cause Of Loss, 1997-2016 (1)

(2016 $ billions)

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(1) Adjusted for inflation through 2016 by ISO using the GDP implicit price deflator. Excludes catastrophes causing direct losses less than $25 million in 1997 dollars. Excludes flood damage covered by the federally administered National Flood Insurance Program.
(2) Includes other wind, hail, and/or flood losses associated with catastrophes involving tornadoes.
(3) Includes wildland fires.
(4) Includes losses from civil disorders, water damage, utility service disruptions, and any workers compensation catastrophes generating losses in excess of PCS's threshold after adjusting for inflation.

Source: The Property Claim Services® (PCS®) unit of ISO®, a Verisk Analytics® company.

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Overall And Insured Losses From Winter Storms In The United States, 1980-2016

(2016 $ billions)

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Source: © 2017 Munich Re, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE. As of February 2017.

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U.S. Winter Storm Insured Loss Trends, 1980-2016

(2016 $ billions)

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Source: © 2017 Munich Re, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE. As of February 2017.

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Top 15 Costliest U.S. Winter Events By Insured Losses, 1980-2018 (1)

($ millions)

        Losses when occurred  
Rank Date Event Location Overall Insured (2) Deaths
1 Feb. 16-25, 2015 Winter storm,
winter damage		 AR, CT, DC, DE, IL, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS,
NC, NH, NJ,NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT		 $2,800 $2,100 39
2 Mar. 11-14, 1993 Blizzard  AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV		 5,000 2,000 270
3 Jan. 5-8, 2014 Winter damage,
cold wave 		 AL, CT, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO,
MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI		 2,500 1,700 NA
4 Apr. 13-17, 2007 Winter storm,
tornado, floods		 CT, DE, GA, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ,
NY, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WV		 2,000 1,600 19
5 Mar. 1-3, 2018 Winter storm CT, DE, DC, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, VA 2,300 1,600 9
6 Apr. 7-11, 2013 Winter storm CA, IN, KS, MO, NE, SD, WI 1,500 1,200 NA
7 Mar. 13-15, 2010 Winter storm (Nor'Easter),
floods		 CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI 1,700 1,200 11
8 Dec. 10-13, 1992 Winter storm CT, DE, NJ, NY, MA, MD, NE, PA, RI, VA 3,000 1,000 19
9 Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2011 Winter storm,
snowstorms,
winter damage		 CT, IA, IL, IN, KS, MA, ME, MO, NY, OH, PA, RI, TX, WI 1,300 980 36
10 Dec. 17-30, 1983 Winter damage,
cold wave		 FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN,
MS,MO, MT, NE, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA,
RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY		 1,000 880 500
11 Jan. 17-20, 1994 Winter damage,
cold wave		 CT, DE, IN, IL, KY, MA, ME, MD, NC, NH, NJ,
NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV		 1,000 800 70
12 Feb. 10-12, 1994 Winter damage AL, AR, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA 3,000 800 9
13 Jan. 1-4, 1999 Winter storm AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, LA, MO, MA, MD, ME,
MS, NC, NJ, NY,OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV		 1,000 780 25
14 Jan. 4-9, 2008 Winter storm AR, CA, CO, IL, IN, KS, MI, MO, NE, NY, OH, OK, OR, WA, WI 1,000 750 12
15 Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 1996 Winter damage AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA,MD, MI,
MO, MS, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, WI		 1,500 740 16

(1) Costliest U.S. blizzards and winter storms/damages based on insured losses when occurred, as of March 2019.
(2) Based on property losses including, if applicable, agricultural, offshore, marine, aviation and National Flood Insurance Program losses in the United States and may differ from data shown elsewhere.

NA=Data not available.

Source: © 2019 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE.

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Natural Catastrophe Losses In The United States, 2018

(Based on perils)

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Natural Catastrophe Losses In The United States, 2018

Source: © 2019 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE; Property Claim Services (PCS®)*, a Verisk Analytics® business. As of March 2019.

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