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. Does not include 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, 1980-2016 (1)

($ millions)

        Losses when occurred  
Rank Date Event Location Overall Insured (2) Deaths
1 Feb. 16-25, 2015 Winter storm,
winter damage		 CT, DC, DE, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, 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,
tornadoes, floods		 CT, DE, DC, GA, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH,
NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WV		 2,000 1,600 19
5 Mar. 13-15, 2010 Winter storm, floods CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI 1,700 1,200 11
6 Apr. 7-11, 2013 Winter storm CA, IN, KS, MO, NE, SD, WI 1,500 1,200 NA
7 Dec. 10-13, 1992 Winter storm CT, DE, NJ, NY, MA, MD, NE, PA, RI, VA 3,000 1,000 19
8 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
9 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
10 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
11 Feb. 10-12, 1994 Winter damage AL, AR, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA 3,000 800 9
12 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
13 Jan. 4-9, 2008 Winter storm AR, CA, CO, IL, IN, KS, MI, MO, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, WA, WI 1,000 750 12
14 Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 1996 Winter damage AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO,
MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, WI		 1,500 740 16
15 Feb. 24-25, 2013 Blizzard, winter damage LA, OK, TX 1,000 690 1

(1) Costliest U.S. blizzards and winter storms/damages based on insured losses when occurred.
(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: © 2018 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE.

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Natural Catastrophe Losses In The United States, 2016

(Based on perils)

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Source: © 2017 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE; Property Claim Services (PCS®)*, a Verisk Analytics® business. As of February 2017.

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