Severe storms lead to $34 billion in US insured losses this year

Swiss Re Group reports climate change contributes to the frequency and severity of violent meteorological events.

By

Local News

August 9, 2023 - 1:55 PM

An omenous cloud bank approaches LaHarpe Sunday morning before a severe thunderstorm blows through the area. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register

Waves of severe thunderstorms in the U.S. during the first half of this year led to $34 billion in insured losses, an unprecedented level of financial damage in such a short time, according to Swiss Re Group, as climate change contributes to the frequency and severity of violent meteorological events.

Damages from convective storms in the U.S., those that can come with hail, lightning, heavy rain and high winds, accounted for nearly 70% of the $50 billion in global catastrophic damages so far this year, the reinsurer said Wednesday. Those global figure includes earthquakes in…

Related
April 27, 2021
August 4, 2020
January 21, 2020
September 12, 2018