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04

March windstorms in Europe cost insurers at least $1billion 

Open-access content 9th April 2015

Hurricane-force winds killed at least nine people in Europe last month and caused at least $1bn (£676m) of damage, a study has found.

2

Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield's catastrophe model development team, said the total was likely to exceed $1bn.

The extreme weather affected parts of Germany, the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, and Poland. 

Speaking as the firm released the Global Catastrophe Recap: March 2015, Adam Podlaha, head of Impact Forecasting, said: "The costly losses endured from windstorms Niklas and Mike further highlight the importance of using catastrophe models to forecast the peril in Europe."

In the South Pacific, Cyclone Pam killed at least 11 people in the archipelago of Vanuatu and destroyed up to 90% of homes and buildings. It was recorded as "the strongest cyclone to make landfall globally since Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in 2013".

An insurance payout of $1.9m (£1.2m) came from the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Pilot Programme - a World Bank initiative to provide governments with immediate funding if a major natural disaster occurs. 

After a quiet start to the month in the United States, separate events such as widespread hail, straight-line winds and tornadoes affected parts of the Plains, Midwest and Southeast and killed at least 13 people. The total economic losses were estimated at $175m (£118m), while insurers reported losses of more than $110m (£74m).

Cyclones Olwyn and Nathan greatly affected Australia's agricultural sector, with its banana crop "heavily impacted" by Olwyn and cane and fruit crops damaged by Nathan. 

No casualties were reported but more than 500 homes were damaged by Olwyn. Total economic losses caused by Olwyn were at least AUD $100m (£52m).

Meanwhile, China experienced multiple earthquakes throughout the month. Two people were killed and 33,000 homes damaged. The total economic losses were estimated at $40m (£26.9m).

This article appeared in our April 2015 issue of The Actuary.
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