Facts + Statistics: Winter storms

Winter storms caused $2.1 billion in insured losses in 2019, compared with about $3 billion in 2018, according to Munich Re. Winter storms include winter damage and blizzards. Aon estimates that winter storms caused $930 million in insured losses in 2020.

Overall And Insured Losses From Winter Storms In The United States, 1980-2019

(2019 $ billions)

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Overall And Insured Losses From Winter Storms In The United States, 1980-2019

Source: © 2020 Munich Re, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE. As of June 2020.

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U.S. Winter Storm Insured Loss Trends, 1980-2019

(2019 $ billions)

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U.S. Winter Storm Insured Loss Trends, 1980-2019

Source: © 2020 Munich Re, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE. As of June 2020.

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Top 15 Costliest U.S. Winter Events By Insured Losses, 1980-2020 (1)

($ millions)

        Losses  
          Insured (2)  
Rank Date Event Location Overall When occurred In 2020
dollars (3)		 Deaths
1 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 $3,609 270
2 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 2,318 39
3 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 2,251 500
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 2,006 19
5 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 1,883 NA
6 Dec. 10-13, 1992 Winter storm CT, DE, NJ, NY, MA, MD, NE, PA, RI, VA 3,000 1,000 1,826 19
7 Mar. 1-3, 2018 Winter storm CT, DE, DC, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, VA 2,300 1,600 1,661 9
8 Mar. 13-15, 2010 Winter storm (Nor'Easter), floods CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI 1,700 1,200 1,429 11
9 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 1,418 70
10 Feb. 10-12, 1994 Winter damage AL, AR, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA 3,000 800 1,413 9
11 Apr. 7-11, 2013 Winter storm CA, IN, KS, MO, NE, SD, WI 1,500 1,200 1,337 NA
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 1,230 25
13 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 1,153 36
14 Jan. 4-9, 2008 Winter storm AR, CA, CO, IL, IN, KS, MI, MO, NY, OH, OK, OR,
WA, WI		 1,000 750 921 12
15 Mar. 8-17, 2019 Winter storm, blizzard, flood NE, CO, TX, IO, KY, MI, NM, WI, MO, SD, ND 4,700 800 815 6

(1) Costliest U.S. blizzards and winter storms/damages based on insured losses when occurred, as of January 2021. Does not include the U.S. winter storm of February 2021.
(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.
(3) Adjusted for inflation through 2020 by the Insurance Information Institute using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator.

NA=Data not available.

Source: ©2021 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Insurance Information Institute.

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Natural Catastrophe Losses In The United States, 2019

(Based on perils; US$ millions)

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Natural Catastrophe Losses In The United States, 2019

Source: © 2020 Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE; Property Claim Services (PCS®)*, a Verisk Analytics® business. As of June 2020.

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