Top 10 Catastrophes
Fri Aug 13, 6:27 PM ET
By The Associated Press
Top 10 catastrophic events for insured property losses, according to Insurance Services Office Inc. of Jersey City, N.J.
The company defines a catastrophe as a single incident or series of related incidents — man-made or natural — that cause insured property losses totaling at least $25 million and affect a significant number of policyholders and insurers. Catastrophes with equivalent amounts of damage are listed with the same rank.
The following numbers are inflation adjusted to 2002 dollars.
1. Terrorist attack (New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania), September 2001 — $20.7 billion.
2. Hurricane Andrew, August 1992 — $19.9 billion.
3. Northridge, Calif., earthquake, January 1994 — $15.2 billion.
4. Hurricane Hugo, September 1989 — $6.1 billion.
5. Hurricane Georges, September 1998 — $3.3 billion.
6. Midwest, South tornadoes, May 2003 — $3.1 billion.
7. Tropical Storm Allison, July 2001 — $2.5 billion.
8. Hurricane Opal, October 1995 — $2.5 billion.
9. Midwest, South tornadoes, April 2001 — $2.2 billion.
10. Northeast winter storm, March 1993 — $2.2 billion. |
