Facts + Statistics
THE TEN COSTLIEST WORLD NATURAL CATASTROPHES BY INSURED LOSSES, 2009
| Rank | Date | Location | Event | Fatalities | Overall losses | Insured losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan. 23-25 | France, Spain | Winter Storm Klaus | 26 | $5,100 | $3,000 |
| 2 | Feb. 10-13 | U.S | Tornadoes, severe storms | 15 | 2,500 | 1,350 |
| 3 | Jul. 23-24 | Europe | Hailstorms, severe storms | 11 | 1,800 | 1,200 |
| 4 | Apr. 9-11 | U.S | Tornadoes, severe storms | 9 | 1,700 | 1,150 |
| 5 | Jun. 10-18 | U.S | Tornadoes, severe storms | 1 | 2,000 | 1,100 |
| 6 | Mar. 25-26 | U.S | Severe storms, hailstorms, tornadoes | NA | 1,500 | 995 |
| 7 | July 20-21 | U.S | Severe storms, hailstorms | 1 | 1,000 | 800 |
| 8 | Feb. 7-28 | Australia | Wildfires in Victoria | 173 | 1,300 | 770 |
| 9 | Oct. 8-9 | Japan | Typhoon Melor | 4 | 1,000 | 625 |
| 10 | May 7-9 | U.S | Tornadoes, severe storms | 7 | 850 | 600 |
NA=Data not available.
Source: © Munich Re, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY WORLD INSURANCE LOSSES, 1970-2010 (1)
| Rate | Date | Country | Event | Insured loss in 2010 U.S. dollars (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug. 25, 2005 | U.S., Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, North Atlantic |
Hurricane Katrina; floods, dams burst, damage to oil rigs |
$72,302 |
| 2 | Aug. 23, 1992 | U.S., Bahamas | Hurricane Andrew: floods | 24,870 |
| 3 | Sep. 11, 2001 | U.S. | Terror attacks on WTC, Pentagon and other buildings |
23,131 |
| 4 | Jan. 17, 1994 | U.S. | Northridge earthquake (M 6.6) | 20,601 |
| 5 | Sep. 6, 2008 | U.S., Caribbean: Gulf of Mexico et al. |
Hurricane Ike; floods, offshore damage | 20,483 |
| 6 | Sep. 2, 2004 | U.S., Caribbean; Barbados et al. | Hurricane Ivan; damage to oil rigs | 14,876 |
| 7 | Oct. 19, 2005 | U.S., Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti et al. | Hurricane Wilma; floods | 14,028 |
| 8 | Sep. 20, 2005 | U.S., Gulf of Mexico, Cuba | Hurricane Rita; floods, damage to oil rigs | 11,266 |
| 9 | Aug. 11, 2004 | U.S., Cuba, Jamaica et al. | Hurricane Charley; floods | 9,295 |
| 10 | Sep. 27, 1991 | Japan | Typhoon Mireille/No. 19 | 9,041 |
(1) Property and business interruption losses, excluding life and liability losses. Includes flood losses in the United States insured via the National Flood Insurance Program.
(2) Adjusted to 2010 dollars by Swiss Re.
Note: Loss data shown here may differ from figures shown elsewhere for the same event due to differences in the date of publication, the geographical area covered and other criteria used by organizations collecting the data.
Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2011.
WORLD INSURED CATASTROPHE LOSSES, 2001-2010 (1)
| Year | Weather-related natural catastrophes | Earthquake/ tsunami | Man-made disasters | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | $12,916 | $795 | $31,280 | $44,991 |
| 2002 | 14,912 | 0 | 3,618 | 18,530 |
| 2003 | 19,135 | 516 | 3,876 | 23,527 |
| 2004 | 48,594 | 3,068 | 4,000 | 55,663 |
| 2005 | 112,817 | 261 | 6,136 | 119,215 |
| 2006 | 13,076 | 88 | 5,951 | 19,114 |
| 2007 | 24,071 | 512 | 6,114 | 30,697 |
| 2008 | 42,769 | 427 | 8,127 | 51,323 |
| 2009 | 22,062 | 619 | 4,280 | 26,961 |
| 2010 | 26,926 | 12,943 | 3,606 | 43,475 |
(1) In order to maintain comparability of the data over the course of time, the minimum threshold for losses was adjusted annually to compensate for inflation in the United States. Adjusted to 2010 dollars by Swiss Re.
Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2011.
THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 2010 (1)
| Rank | Date | Country | Event | Victims |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan. 12 | Haiti | Earthquake (Mw 7.0), aftershocks | 222,570 |
| 2 | Jun. 15 | Russia, Czech Republic | Heat wave with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius | 55,630 |
| 3 | Apr. 14 | China | Earthquake (Mw 6.9), aftershocks | 2,968 |
| 4 | May 29 | China | Floods, mudslides caused by heavy monsoonal rain | 2,490 |
| 5 | Jul. 21 | Pakistan | Floods caused by heavy monsoonal rains | 1,980 |
| 6 | Aug. 8 | China | Mudslide caused by heavy rain | 1,765 |
| 7 | Feb. 27 | Chile | Earthquake (Mw 8.8) triggers tsunami, more than 200 aftershocks | 562 |
| 8 | Oct. 25 | Indonesia | Earthquake (Mw 7.8) triggers tsunami | 545 |
| 9 | Jul. 17 | Peru, Chile, Argentina et al. | Cold wave with temperatures close to freezing | 522 |
| 10 | Feb. 25 | Uganda | Floods and landslides caused by heavy rain | 400 |
(1) Dead and missing.
Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2011.
THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2010 (1)
| Rank | Date | Country | Event | Victims |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov. 14, 1970 | Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal | Storm and flood catastrophe | 300,000 |
| 2 | Jul. 28, 1976 | China | Earthquake (M 7.5) | 255,000 |
| 3 | Jan. 12, 2010 | Haiti | Earthquake (Mw 7.0) | 222,570 |
| 4 | Dec. 26, 2004 | Indonesia, Thailand et al. | Earthquake (Mw 9.0), tsunami in Indian Ocean | 220,000 |
| 5 | May 2, 2008 | Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal | Tropical cyclone Nargis; Irrawaddy Delta flooded | 138,300 |
| 6 | Apr. 29, 1991 | Bangladesh | Tropical cyclone Gorky | 138,000 |
| 7 | May 12, 2008 | China | Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks | 87,449 |
| 8 | Oct. 8, 2005 | Pakistan, India, Afghanistan | Earthquake (Mw 7.6); aftershocks, landslides | 73,300 |
| 9 | May 31, 1970 | Peru | Earthquake (M 7.7); rock slides | 66,000 |
| 10 | Jun. 15, 2010 | Russia | Heat wave in Russia | 55,630 |
(1) Dead and missing.
Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2011.
CATASTROPHES BY QUARTER, 2010 (1)
| Quarter | Insured losses | Number of catastrophes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,570 | 7 |
| 2 | 6,380 | 14 |
| 3 | 2,030 | 8 |
| 4 | 3,135 | 4 |
| Full year | $14,115 | 33 |
(1) Does not include flood damage covered by the federally administered National Flood Insurance Program.
Note: Insured loss to the industry resulting from an occurrence that reaches at least $25 million and affects a significant number of policyholders and insurers.
Source: The Property Claim Services (PCS) unit of ISO, a Verisk Analytics company.
TOP FIVE STATES BY HIGHEST INSURED CATASTROPHE LOSSES, 2010
| Rank | State | Estimated insured loss |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $2,533 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 2,209 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 759 |
| 4 | Illinois | 691 |
| 5 | Colorado | 672 |
Note: Insured loss to the industry resulting from an occurrence that reaches at least $25 million and affects a significant number of policyholders and insurers.
Source: The Property Claim Services (PCS) unit of ISO, a Verisk Analytics company.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY CATASTROPHES, UNITED STATES (1)
| Insured loss | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Date | Peril | Dollars when occurred | In 2008 dollars (2) |
| 1 | Aug. 2005 | Hurricane Katrina | $41,100 | $45,310 |
| 2 | Aug. 1992 | Hurricane Andrew | 15,500 | 23,786 |
| 3 | Sep. 2001 | World Trade Center, Pentagon terrorist attacks | 18,778 | 22,829 |
| 4 | Jan. 1994 | Northridge, CA earthquake | 12,500 | 18,160 |
| 5 | Sep. 2008 | Hurricane Ike | 12,500 | 12,500 |
| 6 | Oct. 2005 | Hurricane Wilma | 10,300 | 11,355 |
| 7 | Aug. 2004 | Hurricane Charley | 7,475 | 8,520 |
| 8 | Sep. 2004 | Hurricane Ivan | 7,110 | 8,104 |
| 9 | Sep. 1989 | Hurricane Hugo | 4,195 | 7,284 |
| 10 | Sep. 2005 | Hurricane Rita | 5,627 | 6,204 |
(2) Adjusted to 2008 dollars by ISO.
Source: ISO's Property Claim Services unit (PCS).
INSURED LOSSES, U.S. CATASTROPHES, 2001-2010 (1)
| Year | Number of catastrophes | Number of claims (millions) |
Dollars when occurred ($ billions) |
In 2010 dollars (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 20 | 1.5 | $26.5 | $32.4 |
| 2002 | 25 | 1.8 | 5.9 | 7.0 |
| 2003 | 21 | 2.7 | 12.9 | 15.2 |
| 2004 | 22 | 3.4 | 27.5 | 31.4 |
| 2005 | 24 | 4.4 | 62.3 | 68.9 |
| 2006 | 31 | 2.3 | 9.2 | 9.9 |
| 2007 | 23 | 1.2 | 6.7 | 7.0 |
| 2008 | 36 | 4.1 | 27.0 | 27.6 |
| 2009 | 27 | 2.2 | 10.5 | 10.6 |
| 2010 | 33 | 2.4 | 14.1 | 14.1 |
(1) Includes catastrophes causing insured losses to the industry of at least $25 million and affecting a significant number of policyholders and insurers. Does not include flood damage covered by the federally administered National Flood Insurance Program.
(2) Adjusted to 2010 dollars by ISO using the GDP implicit price deflator.
Source: The Property Claim Services (PCS) unit of ISO, a Verisk Analytics company.
INFLATION ADJUSTED U.S. CATASTROPHE LOSSES BY CAUSE OF LOSS, 1991-2010 (1)
ACCIDENT-YEAR DIRECT CATASTROPHE LOSS EXPERIENCE, 2004-2008 (1)
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of catastrophes | 22 | 24 | 33 | 23 | 37 |
| Losses per event ($ millions) | $1,250 | $2,596 | $280 | $292 | $731 |
| Number of claims | 3,367,800 | 4,441,200 | 2,303,550 | 1,202,550 | 4,059,550 |
| Personal | 68.1% | 67.5% | 58.3% | 61.8% | 69.1% |
| Commercial | 13.6 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 12.0 | 9.3 |
| Vehicles | 18.3 | 22.3 | 33.0 | 26.2 | 21.6 |
| Losses ($ millions) | $27,490 | $62,301 | $9,238 | $6,710 | $27,045 |
| Personal | 63.2% | 50.1% | 63.2% | 68.5% | 61.0% |
| Commercial | 29.8 | 43.3 | 17.7 | 18.9 | 30.0 |
| Vehicles | 7.0 | 6.6 | 19.0 | 12.6 | 9.0 |
| Average claim severity | $8,163 | $14,028 | $4,010 | $5,580 | $6,662 |
| Personal | 7,576 | 10,413 | 4,354 | 6,183 | 5,876 |
| Commercial | 17,845 | 59,886 | 8,154 | 8,802 | 21,582 |
| Vehicles | 3,137 | 4,142 | 2,310 | 2,679 | 2,773 |
Source: ISO's Property Claim Services (PCS) unit.
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE
| Category | Sustained wind speed (mph) | Wind damage | Historical example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74-95 | Very dangerous winds will produce some damage | Hurricane Dolly, 2008, South Padre Island, Texas |
| 2 | 96-110 | Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage | Hurricane Frances, 2004, Port St. Lucie, Florida |
| 3 | 111-130 | Devastating damage will occur | Hurricane Ivan, 2004, Gulf Shores, Alabama |
| 4 | 131-155 | Catastrophic damage will occur | Hurricane Charley, 2004, Punta Gorda, Florida |
| 5 | More than 155 | Catastrophic damage will occur | Hurricane Andrew, 1992, Cutler Ridge, Florida |
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center.
HURRICANES AND RELATED DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1991-2010
| Year | Total hurricanes | Made landfall as hurricane in the U.S. |
Deaths (1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 1992 | 4 | 1 | 27 |
| 1993 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 1995 | 3 | 3 | 29 |
| 1996 | 3 | 2 | 59 |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1998 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
| 1999 | 8 | 2 | 60 |
| 2000 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| 2001 | 9 | 0 | 42 |
| 2002 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 2003 | 7 | 2 | 24 |
| 2004 | 9 | 6 (2) | 59 |
| 2005 | 15 | 7 | 1,518 |
| 2006 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | 8 | 4 (3) | 41 |
| 2009 | 3 | 1 (4) | 6 |
| 2010 | 12 | 0 | 11 |
(1) Includes fatalities from high winds of less than hurricane force from tropical storms.
(2) One hurricane (Alex) is considered a strike but not technically a landfall.
(3) Includes Hurricane Hanna, which made landfall as a tropical storm.
(4) Hurricane Ida, which made landfall as a tropical storm.
Source: Insurance Information Institute from data supplied by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center.
THE TEN DEADLIEST MAINLAND U.S. HURRICANES (1)
| Rank | Hurricane | Year | Category | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas (Galveston) | 1900 | 4 | 8,000 (2) |
| 2 | Florida (Southeast; Lake Okeechobee) | 1928 | 4 | 2,500 (3) |
| 3 | Hurricane Katrina (Southeast Louisiana; Mississippi) | 2005 | 3 | 1,200 |
| 4 | Louisiana (Cheniere Caminanda) | 1893 | 4 | 1,100-1,400 (4) |
| 5 | South Carolina; Georgia (Sea Islands) | 1893 | 3 | 1,000-2,000 |
| 6 | Georgia; South Carolina | 1881 | 2 | 700 |
| 7 | Hurricane Audrey (Southwest Louisiana; North Texas) | 1957 | 4 | 416 |
| 8 | Florida (Keys) | 1935 | 5 | 408 |
| 9 | Louisiana (Last Island) | 1856 | 4 | 400 |
| 10 | Florida (Miami, Pensacola); Mississippi; Alabama | 1926 | 4 | 372 |
(1) Based on a
(2) Could be as high as 12,000.
(3) Could be as high as 3,000.
(4) Total including offshore deaths is near 2,000.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center.
CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE LOSSES IN THE UNITED STATES, 2001-2010
| Insured loss | Insured loss |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of hurricanes (1) |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2010 dollars (2) |
Year | Number of hurricanes (1) |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2010 dollars (2) |
| 2001 (3) | 0 | NA | NA | 2006 (3) | 0 | NA | NA |
| 2002 | 1 | $430.0 million | $516.6 million | 2007 (3) | 0 | NA | NA |
| 2003 | 2 | 1.8 billion | 2.1 billion | 2008 | 3 | $15.2 billion | $15.5 billion |
| 2004 | 5 | 22.9 billion | 26.2 billion | 2009 (3) | 0 | NA | NA |
| 2005 | 6 | 58.3 billion | 64.6 billion | 2010 (3) | 0 | NA | NA |
(1) Major hurricanes causing at least $25 million in insured property losses and affecting a significant number of policyholders and insurers.
(2) Adjusted for inflation through 2010 by ISO using the GDP implicit price deflator.
(3) No wind event met the PCS catastrophe definition.
NA=Not applicable.
Source: The Property Claim Services (PCS) unit of ISO, a Verisk Analytics company.
TOP TEN MOST COSTLY HURRICANES IN THE UNITED STATES
| Estimated insured loss (1) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Date | Location | Hurricane | Dollars when occurred | In 2008 dollars (2) |
| 1 | Aug. 25-30, 2005 | AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, TN | Katrina | $41,100 | $45,310 |
| 2 | Aug. 24-26, 1992 | FL, LA | Andrew | 15,500 | 23,786 |
| 3 | Sep. 12-14, 2008 | AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, OH, PA, TX | Ike | 12,500 | 12,500 |
| 4 | Oct. 24, 2005 | FL | Wilma | 10,300 | 11,355 |
| 5 | Aug. 13-14, 2004 | FL, NC, SC | Charley | 7,475 | 8,520 |
| 6 | Sep. 15-21, 2004 | AL, DE, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV | Ivan | 7,110 | 8,104 |
| 7 | Sep. 17-22, 1989 | GA, NC, PR, SC, VA, U.S. Virgin Islands | Hugo | 4,195 | 7,284 |
| 8 | Sep. 20-26, 2005 | AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, TN, TX | Rita | 5,627 | 6,204 |
| 9 | Sep. 3-9, 2004 | FL, GA, NC, NY, SC | Frances | 4,595 | 5,237 |
| 10 | Sep. 15-29, 2004 | DE, FL, GA, MD, NJ, NY, NC, PA, PR, SC, VA | Jeanne | 3,655 | 4,166 |
(1) Property coverage only. Does not include flood damage covered by the federally administered National Flood Insurance Program. As of September 2009.
(2) Adjusted to 2008 dollars by ISO.
Source: ISO's Property Claim Services unit (PCS).
ESTIMATED INSURED LOSSES FOR THE TOP TEN HISTORICAL HURRICANES IF THEY RECURRED TODAY (1)
| Rank | Date | Event | Insured loss (current exposures) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep. 18, 1926 | Miami Hurricane | $80 |
| 2 | Aug. 24, 1992 | Hurricane Andrew | 42 |
| 3 | Aug. 29, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina | 41 (2) |
| 4 | Sep. 21, 1938 | 1938 Long Island Express | 35 |
| 5 | Sep. 9, 1965 | Hurricane Betsy | 34 |
| 6 | Sep. 9, 1900 | Galveston Storm of 1900 | 33 |
| 7 | Sep. 17, 1928 | Great Okeechobee Hurricane | 33 |
| 8 | Sep. 10, 1960 | Hurricane Donna | 26 |
| 9 | Sep. 17, 1947 | 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane | 24 |
| 10 | Sep. 16, 1945 | 1945 Homestead Hurricane (#9) | 20 |
(2) ISO estimate.
Source:
THE TEN MOST SIGNIFICANT FLOOD EVENTS BY NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM PAYOUTS (1)
| Rank | Event | Location | Date | Number of paid losses | Amount paid ($ millions) | Average paid loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hurricane Katrina | AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, TN | Aug. 2005 | 167,397 | $16,208 | $96,821 |
| 2 | Hurricane Ike | AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, OH, PA, TX | Sep. 2008 | 46,316 | 2,642 | 57,033 |
| 3 | Hurricane Ivan | AL, DE, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV |
Sep. 2004 | 27,647 | 1,586 | 57,371 |
| 4 | Tropical Storm Allison | FL, LA, MS, NJ, PA, TX | Jun. 2001 | 30,663 | 1,104 | 36,000 |
| 5 | Louisiana flood | LA | May 1995 | 31,343 | 585 | 18,667 |
| 6 | Hurricane Isabel | DE, MD, NJ, NY, NC, PA, VA, WV | Sep. 2003 | 19,864 | 493 | 24,825 |
| 7 | Hurricane Rita | AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, TN, TX | Sep. 2005 | 9,514 | 472 | 49,562 |
| 8 | Hurricane Floyd | CT, DE, FL, GA, MA, ME, MD, NH, NJ, NC, PA, SC, VA, VT | Sep. 1999 | 20,438 | 462 | 22,618 |
| 9 | Hurricane Opal | AL, NC, PR, SC, TN | Oct. 1995 | 10,343 | 406 | 39,208 |
| 10 | Hurricane Hugo | GA, NC, PR, SC, VA, U.S. Virgin Islands | Sep. 1989 | 12,840 | 376 | 29,317 |
(1) Includes events from 1978 to July 31, 2011. Defined by the National Flood Insurance Program as an event that produces at least 1,500 paid losses. Stated in dollars when occurred.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
THE FUJITA SCALE FOR TORNADOES
| Original F scale (1) | Enhanced F scale (2) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Damage | Wind speed (mph) | 3-second gust (mph) |
| F-0 | Light | 40-72 | 65-85 |
| F-1 | Moderate | 73-112 | 86-110 |
| F-2 | Considerable | 113-157 | 111-135 |
| F-3 | Severe | 158-207 | 136-165 |
| F-4 | Devastating | 208-260 | 166-200 |
| F-5 | Incredible | 261-318 | Over 200 |
(2) Enhanced scale: wind speeds represent maximum 3-second gusts. Implemented on February 1, 2007.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
TOP TEN STATES, BY NUMBER OF TORNADOES, 2010
| Rank | State | Number of tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 145 |
| 2 | Texas | 105 |
| 3 | Mississippi | 100 |
| 4 | Kansas | 94 |
| 5 | Missouri | 80 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 74 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 68 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | 68 |
| 9 | Colorado | 66 |
| 10 | Illinois | 65 |
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
NUMBER OF TORNADOES AND RELATED DEATHS PER MONTH, 2010
TORNADOES AND RELATED DEATHS BY STATE, 2010
| State | Tornadoes | Fatalities | State | Tornadoes | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 43 | 0 | Montana | 33 | 2 |
| Alaska | 0 | 0 | Nebraska | 46 | 0 |
| Arizona | 17 | 0 | Nevada | 0 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 39 | 6 | New Hampshire | 1 | 0 |
| California | 11 | 0 | New Jersey | 1 | 0 |
| Colorado | 66 | 0 | New Mexico | 11 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 6 | 0 | New York | 16 | 1 |
| Delaware | 0 | 0 | North Carolina | 32 | 0 |
| D.C. | 0 | 0 | North Dakota | 68 | 1 |
| Florida | 22 | 0 | Ohio | 45 | 7 |
| Georgia | 11 | 0 | Oklahoma | 74 | 3 |
| Hawaii | 0 | 0 | Oregon | 1 | 0 |
| Idaho | 3 | 0 | Pennsylvania | 15 | 0 |
| Illinois | 65 | 1 | Rhode Island | 0 | 0 |
| Indiana | 29 | 0 | South Carolina | 22 | 0 |
| Iowa | 52 | 0 | South Dakota | 37 | 0 |
| Kansas | 94 | 0 | Tennessee | 36 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 27 | 0 | Texas | 105 | 0 |
| Louisiana | 34 | 0 | Utah | 2 | 0 |
| Maine | 6 | 0 | Vermont | 1 | 0 |
| Maryland | 5 | 0 | Virginia | 10 | 0 |
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | Washington | 3 | 0 |
| Michigan | 30 | 1 | West Virginia | 5 | 1 |
| Minnesota | 145 | 3 | Wisconsin | 68 | 0 |
| Mississippi | 100 | 13 | Wyoming | 26 | 0 |
| Missouri | 80 | 5 | United States | 1,543 (1) | 45 |
(1) Includes tornadoes that track from a touchdown state into another state.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
TORNADOES AND RELATED DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1990-2010 (1)
| Year | Tornadoes | Deaths | Year | Tornadoes | Deaths | Year | Tornadoes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,133 | 53 | 1997 | 1,148 | 67 | 2004 | 1,819 | 36 |
| 1991 | 1,132 | 39 | 1998 | 1,424 | 130 | 2005 | 1,264 | 38 |
| 1992 | 1,297 | 39 | 1999 | 1,345 | 94 | 2006 | 1,103 | 67 |
| 1993 | 1,173 | 33 | 2000 | 1,071 | 40 | 2007 | 1,098 | 81 |
| 1994 | 1,082 | 69 | 2001 | 1,216 | 40 | 2008 | 1,692 | 126 |
| 1995 | 1,234 | 30 | 2002 | 941 | 55 | 2009 | 1,156 | 21 |
| 1996 | 1,173 | 25 | 2003 | 1,376 | 54 | 2010 | 1,282 | 45 |
(1) Excludes Puerto Rico. Does not include tornadoes crossing state lines. Counts these tornadoes as one event.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY U.S. EARTHQUAKES
| Estimated property damage (1) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Year | Location | Magnitude | Dollars when occurred | In 2008 dollars (2) |
| 1 | 1994 | Northridge, CA | 6.7 | $13-$20,000 | $19-$29,000 |
| 2 | 1989 | San Francisco Bay area; Loma Prieta, CA | 6.9 | 7,000 | 12,154 |
| 3 | 1964 | Alaska and west coast of United States (tsunami damage from earthquake near Anchorage, Alaska) | 9.2 | 500 | 3,473 |
| 4 | 1971 | San Fernando, CA | 6.5 | 553 | 2,940 |
| 5 | 2001 | Washington, Oregon | 6.8 | 2,305 | 2,802 |
| 6 | 1987 | Southern California; primarily in Los Angeles–Pasadena–Whittier area | 5.9 | 358 | 678 |
| 7 | 1933 | Long Beach, CA | 6.3 | 40 | 662 |
| 8 | 1952 | Kern County, CA | 7.5 | 60 | 487 |
| 9 | 1992 | Southern California; Landers–Joshua Tree–Big Bear | 7.6 | 92 | 141 |
| 10 | 1992 | Northern California Coast; Petrolia–Eureka | 7.1 | 66 | 101 |
(1) Includes insured and uninsured losses.
(2) Adjusted to 2008 dollars by the Insurance Information Institute.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey; Munich Re; Insurance Information Institute.
ESTIMATED INSURED LOSSES FOR THE TOP TEN HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKES IF THEY RECURRED TODAY (1)
| Rank | Date | Location | Magnitude | Insured loss (current exposures) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apr. 18, 1906 | San Francisco, CA | 7.9 | $108 |
| 2 | Feb. 7, 1812 | New Madrid, MO | 7.7 | 88 |
| 3 | Aug. 31, 1886 | Charleston, SC | 7.3 | 38 |
| 4 | Jan. 9, 1857 | Fort Tejon, CA | 7.9 | 27 |
| 5 | Oct. 21, 1868 | Hayward, CA | 6.8 | 25 |
| 6 | Jan. 17, 1994 | Northridge, CA | 6.7 | 16 |
| 7 | Jan. 5, 1843 | Marked Tree, AR | 6.5 | 12 |
| 8 | Jun. 1, 1838 | San Francisco, CA | 7.2 | 11 |
| 9 | Oct. 12, 1877 | Portland, OR | 6.3 | 11 |
| 10 | Jul. 1, 1911 | San Jose, CA | 6.6 | 9 |
Source:
WORST TERRORIST ACTS, INSURED PROPERTY LOSSES
| Rank | Date | Country | Location | Event | Insured property loss (1) | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep. 11, 2001 | U.S. | New York City, Washington, D.C. | Hijacked airliners crash into World Trade Center and Pentagon | $22,828 (2) | 2,976 (3) |
| 2 | Apr. 24, 1993 | U.K. | London | Bomb explodes near NatWest tower in the financial district | 1,074 | 1 |
| 3 | Jun. 15, 1996 | U.K. | Manchester | Irish Republican Army (IRA) car bomb explodes near shopping mall | 881 | 0 |
| 4 | Feb. 26, 1993 | U.S. | New York City | Bomb explodes in garage of World Trade Center | 760 (2) | 6 |
| 5 | Apr. 10, 1992 | U.K. | London | Bomb explodes in financial district | 795 | 3 |
| 6 | Jul. 24, 2001 | Sri Lanka | Colombo IntI. Airport | Rebels destroy 3 airliners, 8 military aircraft and heavily damage 3 civilian aircraft | 471 | 20 |
| 7 | Feb. 9, 1996 | U.K. | London | IRA bomb explodes in South Key Docklands | 306 | 2 |
| 8 | Apr. 19, 1995 | U.S. | Oklahoma City | Truck bomb crashes into government building | 177 (2) | 166 |
| 9 | Dec. 21, 1988 | Scotland | Lockerbie | PanAm Boeing 747 explodes | 163 | 270 |
| 10 | Sep. 12, 1970 | Jordan | Zerqa | Hijacked Swissair DC-8, TWA Boeing 707 and BOAC VC-10 dynamited | 150 | 0 |
| 11 | Mar. 11, 2004 | Spain | Madrid, Atocha | Bomb attack on trains | 139 | 191 |
| 12 | Sep. 6, 1970 | Egypt | Cairo | Hijacked PanAm B-747 dynamited | 131 | 0 |
(2) Updated by the Insurance Information Institute to reflect latest estimate from ISO.
(3) Latest government figures.
Source: ISO's Property Claim Services unit (PCS); Swiss Re; Insurance Information Institute.
TOP TEN STATES FOR WILDFIRES RANKED BY NUMBER OF FIRES, 2011 (1)
| Rank | State | Number of fires | Number of acres burned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 7,456 | 130,019 |
| 2 | Georgia | 6,403 | 97,513 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 4,952 | 80,777 |
| 4 | Florida | 4,736 | 253,746 |
| 5 | Texas | 3,470 | 2,722,623 |
| 6 | Alabama | 3,012 | 69,007 |
| 7 | Louisiana | 2,965 | 52,078 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 2,645 | 53,065 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 2,621 | 15,909 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 2,479 | 293,364 |
| United States | 66,303 | 8,296,664 |
(1) As of November 2011.
Source: National Interagency Coordination Center.
TOP TEN STATES FOR WILDFIRES RANKED BY ACRES BURNED, 2011 (1)
| Rank | State | Number of fires | Number of acres burned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3,470 | 2,722,623 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 1,873 | 1,089,769 |
| 3 | Arizona | 1,969 | 1,036,935 |
| 4 | Nevada | 807 | 428,145 |
| 5 | Idaho | 1,085 | 381,631 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 2,479 | 293,364 |
| 7 | Alaska | 513 | 293,019 |
| 8 | Oregon | 1,131 | 281,666 |
| 9 | Florida | 4,736 | 253,746 |
| 10 | Montana | 1,318 | 166,852 |
| United States | 66,303 | 8,296,664 |
(1) As of November 2011.
Source: National Interagency Coordination Center.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY WILDFIRES IN THE UNITED STATES (1)
| Estimated insured loss | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Date | Location | Dollars when occurred | In 2008 dollars (2) |
| 1 | Oct. 20-21, 1991 | Oakland Fire, CA | $1,700 | $2,687 |
| 2 | Oct. 25-Nov. 4, 2003 | Cedar Fire, CA | 1,060 | 1,240 |
| 3 | Oct. 21-24, 2007 | Witch Fire, CA | 1,300 | 1,142 |
| 4 | Oct. 25-Nov. 3, 2003 | Old Fire, CA | 975 | 1,141 |
| 5 | Nov. 2-3, 1993 | Los Angeles County Fire, CA | 375 | 559 |
| 6 | Oct. 27-28, 1993 | Orange County Fire, CA | 350 | 521 |
| 7 | Jun. 27-Jul. 2, 1990 | Santa Barbara Fire, CA | 265 | 437 |
| 8 | May 10-16, 2000 | Cerro Grande Fire, NM | 140 | 175 |
| 9 | Jun. 23-28, 2002 | Rodeo Chediski Complex Fire, AZ | 120 | 144 |
| 10 | Sep. 22-30, 1970 | Oakland & Berkeley Hills Fire, CA | 25 | 138 |
(2) Adjusted to 2008 dollars by the Insurance Information Institute.
Source: ISO's Property Claim Services unit (PCS); Insurance Information Institute.
U.S. FIRE LOSSES, 2001-2010 (1)
| Year | Property loss ($ millions) | Loss per capita |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | $17,118 (2) | $60.07 |
| 2002 | 17,586 | 61.14 |
| 2003 | 21,129 | 72.83 |
| 2004 | 17,344 | 59.23 |
| 2005 | 20,427 | 69.12 |
| 2006 | 20,340 | 68.17 |
| 2007 | 24,399 | 81.00 |
| 2008 | 24,734 | 81.34 |
| 2009 | 22,911 | 74.68 |
| 2010 | 19,637 | 63.48 |
(1) Including allowances for FAIR Plan and uninsured losses.
(2) Does not include insured fire losses related to terrorism.
Source: ISO, a Verisk Analytics company; Insurance Information Institute.
STRUCTURE FIRES, 2001-2010 (1)
| Year | Number of fires | Year | Number of fires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 521,500 | 2006 | 524,000 |
| 2002 | 519,000 | 2007 | 530,500 |
| 2003 | 519,500 | 2008 | 515,000 |
| 2004 | 526,000 | 2009 | 480,500 |
| 2005 | 511,000 | 2010 | 482,000 |
(1) Includes public assembly, educational, institutional and residential structures, stores and offices, industry, utility, defense, storage and special structures.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
CIVILIAN (NONFIREFIGHTER) FIRE DEATHS AND INJURIES BY PROPERTY USE, 2010
| Property use | Civilian fire deaths | Percent change from 2009 | Percent of all civilian fire deaths | Civilian fire injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential | 2,665 | 2.9% | 85.4% | 13,800 |
| 1 and 2 family homes (1) | 2,200 | 4.8 | 70.5 | 9,400 |
| Apartments | 440 | -5.4 | 14.1 | 3,950 |
| Other residential (2) | 25 | (3) | 0.8 | 450 |
| Nonresidential structures (4) | 90 | -14.3 | 2.9 | 1,620 |
| Highway vehicles | 285 | 9.6 | 9.1 | 1,440 |
| Other vehicles (5) | 25 | 25.0 | 0.8 | 150 |
| All other fires (6) | 55 | 57.1 | 1.8 | 710 |
| Total | 3,120 | 3.7% | 100.0% | 17,720 |
(1) Includes manufactured homes.
(2) Includes hotels and motels, college dormitories, boarding houses, etc.
(3) Less than 0.1 percent.
(4) Includes public assembly, educational, institutional, store and office, industry, utility, storage and special structure properties.
(5) Includes trains, boats, ships, farm vehicles and construction vehicles.
(6) Includes outside properties with value, as well as brush, rubbish and other outside locations.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
STRUCTURE FIRES BY TYPE OF USE, 2010 (1)
| Property use | Estimated number of fires |
Percent change from 2009 |
Property loss (2) ($ millions) |
Percent change from 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public assembly | 12,000 | -17.2% | $421 | -44.4% |
| Educational | 5,500 | (3) | 76 | -8.4 |
| Institutional | 5,500 | (3) | 37 | 15.6 |
| Residential | 384,000 | 1.9 | 7,079 | -9.2 |
| 1 and 2 family homes (4) | 279,000 | 2.4 | 5,895 | -7.0 |
| Apartments | 90,500 | 0.6 | 1,033 | -15.0 |
| Other (5) | 14,500 | (3) | 151 | -16.0 |
| Stores and offices | 18,000 | 9.1 | 730 | 2.4 |
| Industry, utility, defense (6) | 9,000 | -5.3 | 515 | -10.0 |
| Storage in structures | 28,000 | -5.1 | 756 | -4.4 |
| Special structures | 20,000 | -11.1 | 102 | 4.1 |
| Total | 482,000 | 0.3% | $9,716 | -10.4% |
(1) Estimates based on data reported by fire departments responding to the 2010 National Fire Experience Survey. May not include reports from all fire departments.
(2) Includes overall direct property loss to contents, structures, vehicles, machinery, vegetation or any other property involved in a fire. Does not include indirect losses, such as business interruption or temporary shelter costs.
(3) Less than 0.1 percent.
(4) Includes manufactured homes.
(5) Includes hotels and motels, college dormitories, boarding houses, etc.
(6) Does not include incidents handled only by private brigades or fixed suppression systems.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST CATASTROPHIC MULTIPLE-DEATH FIRES OF 2010 (1)
| Rank | Month | State | Type of facility | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April | West Virginia | Coal mine | 29 |
| 2 | September | California | Natural gas leak explosion and fire | 8 |
| 3 | December | Louisiana | Vacant warehouse used by homeless | 8 |
| 4 | February | Illinois | Four-unit apartment building | 7 |
| 5 | April | Washington | Refinery explosion and fire | 7 |
| 6 | February | Connecticut | Construction site explosion | 6 |
| 7 | April | Minnesota | Apartment building | 6 |
| 8 | June | New York | Single-family home | 6 |
| 9 | August | Oklahoma | Single-family home | 6 |
| 10 | December | Maryland | Single-family home | 6 |
(1) Fires that kill five or more people in home property, or three or more people in nonhome or nonstructural property.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES OF 2010 (1)
| Rank | State | Type of facility | Estimated loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | Wildfire | $217 |
| 2 | California | Shopping mall | 110 |
| 3 | California | Outside natural gas explosion and fire | 65 |
| 4 | Illinois | Wastewater treatment plant explosion | 52 |
| 5 | Texas | Electronics warehouse | 40 |
| 6 | Missouri | Elementary school | 29 |
| 7 | California | Produce storage | 20 |
| 8 | Texas | Church | 15 |
| 9 | Texas | Sawmill | 15 |
| 10 | Utah | Church | 15 |
(1) Large-loss fires of $15 million or more.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
| Estimated loss (1) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Date | Location/event | Dollars when occurred | In 2010 dollars (2) |
| 1 | Sep. 11, 2001 | World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) | $33,400 (3) | $41,100 (3) |
| 2 | Apr. 18, 1906 | San Francisco Earthquake and Fire | 350 | 8,500 |
| 3 | Oct. 8-9, 1871 | Great Chicago Fire | 168 | 3,000 |
| 4 | Oct. 20, 1991 | Oakland, CA, fire storm | 1,500 | 2,400 |
| 5 | Oct. 20, 2007 | San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Wildland Fires | 1,800 | 1,900 |
| 6 | Nov. 9, 1872 | Great Boston Fire | 75 | 1,400 |
| 7 | Oct. 23, 1989 | Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant | 750 | 1,300 |
| 8 | May 4, 2000 | Los Alamos, NM, wildland fire | 1,000 | 1,300 |
| 9 | Oct. 25, 2003 | Julian, CA, Wildfire (Cedar) | 1,100 | 1,300 |
| 10 | Feb. 7, 1904 | Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration | 50 | 1,200 |
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2010 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from estimates from other sources.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
INTENTIONALLY SET FIRES, 2001-2010
| Structures | Vehicles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of fires | Property loss ($ millions) (1) |
Number of fires | Property loss ($ millions) |
| 2001 | 45,500 | $34,453 (2) | 39,500 | $219 |
| 2002 | 44,500 | 919 | 41,000 | 222 |
| 2003 | 37,500 | 692 | 30,500 | 132 |
| 2004 | 36,500 | 714 | 36,000 | 165 |
| 2005 | 31,500 | 664 | 21,000 | 113 |
| 2006 | 31,100 | 755 | 20,500 | 134 |
| 2007 | 32,500 | 733 | 20,500 | 145 |
| 2008 | 30,500 | 866 | 17,500 | 139 |
| 2009 | 26,500 | 684 | 15,000 | 108 |
| 2010 | 27,500 | 585 | 14,000 | 89 |
(1) Includes overall direct property loss to contents, structures, vehicles, machinery, vegetation or any other property involved in a fire. Does not include indirect losses, such as business interruption or temporary shelter costs.
(2) Includes the events of September 11, 2001, which accounted for $33.44 billion in property losses.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.