2008 record year for tornado losses in U.S.

2008 was the worst year for catastrophe losses stemming from U.S.-based tornadoes, as well as among the worst years on record for the frequency of tornadoes, reports A.M. Best Company Inc.
In its special report, Another Year, Another Record: Tornado Threat Keeps Escalating, A.M. Best notes preliminary figures that show 1,691 tornadoes touched down in the United States in 2008 — second only to 2004, when about 1,820 tornadoes touched down.
Of the 29 severe thunderstorm catastrophes in 2008, two events each resulted in insured losses of US$1 billion or more; another four severe weather events generated losses of US$725 million or more, AM Best noted.
For reporting purposes, insured losses tied to tornadoes generally are aggregated by storm system as opposed to damage done by individual tornadoes.
A Swiss Re sigma study recently noted that between April and June 2008, hailstorms in Saskatchewan resulted in Cdn$132 million of insured losses.
So far, in the first three months of 2009, the Insurance Services Office identified six catastrophe events in the United States, five of which were classified as wind and thunderstorm events, AM Best reported.
“Although fewer tornadoes touched down in the first quarter of 2009 when compared with the recent past, more outbreaks have been occurring earlier than what traditionally are considered the peak months for tornadoes,” the report says.