December windstorm losses top $1bn
European windstorms Xaver and Dirk, which hit Europe in December, could cost insurers some €1.16 billion, according to estimates by Impact Forecasting, the catastrophe model development centre at Aon Benfield.
The combined economic losses from the windstorms could reach $2.25 billion.
“The clustered pattern of windstorms seen across western and northern Europe in December has emphasised the importance of being able to capture this phenomenon in catastrophe models,” said Adam Podlaha, head of Impact Forecasting.
“Impact Forecasting's new European windstorm model replicates such clustering patterns by using a realistic sequence of storms originating directly from highly advanced global climate models.”
Elsewhere during December, stretches of inclement winter weather also affected North America as a broad storm system swept across the entire US killing at least 18 people and resulting in total economic losses in excess of $100 million. Insured losses in Texas alone were listed at $30 million.
Another major winter storm brought heavy snow, freezing rain and ice to the central and eastern US as well as eastern Canada, killing a total of 29 people. Total economic and insured losses for the US and Canada were separately listed as reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, one of the strongest winter storms in years impacted the Middle East in December, killing at least 10 people and producing total combined economic losses of around $500 million.
