15 costliest U.S. winter weather events by insured losses, 1980-2015
Blizzards, cold temperatures, icy roads and major winter storms often result in heavy property damage.
Businesses, homeowners and vehicle owners can suffer expensive losses when snow and cold weather hit.
According to data from Munich Re, winter storms caused an estimated $3.5 billion in insured losses in 2015, up from $2.6 billion in 2014.
From 1995 to 2014 winter storms resulted in about $27 billion in insured catastrophe losses (in 2014 dollars), or more than $1 billion a year on average, according to the Insurance Information Institute and data from Property Claim Services.
Winter property totals include agricultural, offshore, marine, aviation and National Flood Insurance Program losses.
Here are the 15 costliest winter events by insured losses in the U.S. from 1980-2015, as ranked by the Insurance Information Institute:
15. Blizzard, winter damage
Dates: Feb. 24-25, 2013.
States impacted: Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Overall losses (when occurred): $1,000 million.
Insured losses (when occurred): $690 million.
Deaths: 1.
14. Winter damage
Dates: Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 1996.
States impacted: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Caroline, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Caroline, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Overall losses: $1,500 million.
Insured losses: $740 million.
Deaths: 16.
13. Winter storm
Dates: Jan. 4-9, 2008.
States impacted: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Virginia, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
Overall losses: $1,000 million.
Insured losses: $750 million.
Deaths: 12.
12. Winter storm
Dates: Jan. 1-4, 1999.
States impacted: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Caroline, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Overall losses: $1,000 million.
Insured losses: $780 million.
Deaths: 25.
11. Winter damage
Dates: Feb. 10-12, 1994.
States impacted: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Overall losses: $3,000 million.
Insured losses: $800 million.
Deaths: 9.
10. Winter damage, cold wave
Dates: Jan. 17-20, 1994.
States impacted: Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.
Overall losses: $1,000 million.
Insured losses: $800 million.
Deaths: 70.
9. Winter damage, cold wave
Dates: Dec. 17-30, 1983.
States impacted: Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Overall losses: $1,000 million.
Insured losses: $880 million.
Deaths: 500.
8. Winter storm, snowstorms, winter damage
Dates: Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2011.
States impacted: Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin.
Overall losses: $1,300 million.
Insured losses: $980 million.
Deaths: 36.
7. Winter storm
Dates: Dec. 10-13, 1992.
States impacted: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia.
Overall losses: $3,000 million.
Insured losses: $1,000 million.
Deaths: 19.
6. Winter storm
Dates: April 7-11, 2013.
States impacted: California, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Overall losses: $1,500 million.
Insured losses: $1,200 million.
Deaths: N/A.
5. Winter storm, floods
Dates: March 13-15, 2010.
States impacted: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Overall losses: $1,700 million.
Insured losses: $1,200 million.
Deaths: 11.
4. Winter storm, tornadoes, floods
Dates: April 13-17, 2007.
States impacted: Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Jew Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.
Overall losses: $2,000 million.
Insured losses: $1,600 million.
Deaths: 19.
3. Winter damage, cold wave
Dates: Jan. 5-8, 2014.
States impacted: Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Caroline, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Overall losses: $2,500 million.
Insured losses: $1,700 million.
Deaths: N/A.
2. Blizzard
Dates: March 11-14, 1993.
States impacted: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.
Overall losses: $5,000 million.
Insured losses: $2,000 million.
Deaths: 270.
1. Winter storm, winter damage
Dates: Feb. 16-25, 2015.
States impacted: Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Vermont.
Overall losses: $2,800 million.
Insured losses: $2,100 million.
Deaths: 39.
Article by BY JAYLEEN R. HEFT, PROPERTYCASUALTY360.COM
