NOAA’s National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center Annual Severe Weather Report Summary reported 5,373 hail events in 2024 compared to 6,962 in 2023. Texas and Kansas had the largest number of hail events according to NOAA in 2024.
According to the National Weather Center and National Lightning Safety Council there were 12 direct lightning fatalities in 2024, compared to 14 in 2023. On average, based on data from 2015 to 2024, 20 people die each year from lightning strikes in the United States.
Life insurance was once sold primarily by career life agents, also known as captive agents, representing a single insurance company, and by independent agents, representing several insurers. Now, life insurance is sold directly to the public by mail, telephone, and the Internet. Independent insurance agents have the largest share of the market, followed by affiliated agents.
According to The Identity Theft Research Center (ITRC) Annual Data Breach Report, 2024 had the second-highest number of data compromises in the U.S. in a single year since the ITRC began tracking data events in 2005, down just one percentage point from the record set in 2023. There was a total of 1.35 trillion victim notices issued including five mega breaches resulting in 100 million to 560 million victim notices issued each, or 83 percent.
In the United States, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) compiles data on aviation flight hours, accidents and fatalities for commercial and general aviation, which is private transport and recreational flying.
The insurance industry is a major U.S. employer, providing some 3.0 million jobs in 2024 that encompass a wide variety of careers, including engineering and data science, human resources, public relations, and financial analysts. Some jobs, including claims adjusters, actuaries and insurance underwriters, are unique to the insurance industry. But other roles are also needed, such as art historians and drone pilots. For further information, consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, which includes these entries:
Aon defines a catastrophe as a natural event that causes any of the following:
$25 million or more in insured property losses
ten deaths
50 people injured
2,000 filed claims or homes and structures damaged.
Aon’s natural catastrophe estimates include Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and include losses sustained by private insurers and government-sponsored programs such as the National Flood Insurance Program. They are subject to change as loss estimates are further developed.
By their design, motorcycles are far less crash-worthy (i.e., resistant to the effects of collision) than closed vehicles. Motorcyclists and their passengers are more vulnerable to the hazards of weather and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles. They are also less visible to other drivers and pedestrians and less stable than four-wheel vehicles. Additionally, motorcycle operation requires a different combination of physical and mental skills than those used in driving cars and trucks.
The cost of auto insurance can be affected by the vehicle's cost and crashworthiness (the degree to which it can protect occupants from the effects of an accident) and by the driver's safety habits. Insurers support raising awareness about safe driving practices, such as seatbelt usage and avoiding driving while under the influence of alcohol. These initiatives reinforce public safety and help to reduce costs for policyholders and insurers.