tornadoes

US severe thunderstorm activity and severe convective weather looks set to escalate as we move into the second-half of March, reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter has warned.

Severe convective storm, thunderstorm and severe weather impacts reached a record high last year, as the peril drove the largest share of annual natural disaster losses that were covered by insurance and reinsurance in the United States during 2020, according to data from Munich Re.

Severe storms, convective weather and large hail across the eastern two-thirds of the United States from August 8th to 12th, including the Derecho that struck the Iowa and Illinois region, is estimated to have cost around $6.5 billion, with more than half of the total likely covered by insurance.

The United States has again been hit by a prolonged period of severe weather this week, with severe storms, convective weather, large hail storm events and a Derecho that struck the Iowa and Illinois region, all adding up to multi-billion dollar economic losses, with most of the wind and hail insured.

The United States and Canada experienced multi-billion dollar insurance and reinsurance losses from severe weather during the month of June 2020, with hail storms in Calgary and convective weather in the U.S. driving the largest share, according to Impact Forecasting.

The insurance and reinsurance market faced another month of severe weather in the United States in May 2020, with the market set for the third consecutive multi-billion dollar insured loss month this year, according to Impact Forecasting.

2020 looks set to be another significant year for severe convective storm losses in the United States, with the insurance and reinsurance market already on the hook for over $13 billion of costs year-to-date, with hail again a significant driver.

The United States has experienced a vigorous and deadly start to the convective storm and tornado season in 2020, with five billion-dollar economic loss events caused by the peril already this year, according to Aon’s Impact Forecasting unit.

The outbreak of severe convective weather that affected the U.S. south and eastern states this week may result in both economic and insured losses that surpass $1 billion, according to the latest update from Aon’s Impact Forecasting.

Severe convective weather, including thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes and damaging winds across the United States are expected to drive $2 billion of costs, with the insurance and reinsurance sector to take the majority, according to Aon.