NU Online News Service, Dec. 14, 10:59 a.m.EST

Europe's run-in with severe Windstorm Friedhelm is not expectedto produce significant insurance claims despite hurricane-forcewind gusts, say experts.

Yesterday, Willis Re released a report saying that despite windgusts that reached 165 mph in some places of Scotland last week,insurance losses are expected to come nowhere close to WindstormKyrill that hit northern Europe in 2007 and caused around $618million (at today's exchange rate) in insured loss.

Reports from Scotland's 3 News say many schoolsand bridges were closed during the storm and residents were advisedto stay indoors during the storm.

Superior roof construction was credited with minimizing losses,note experts, as the region is subject to high winds throughout theyear.

“As the northern part of the [United Kingdom] is more exposed tohigh-wind speeds than the south, roofs are frequently built tohigher specifications to withstand wind force,” says Tim Edwards,divisional director of Willis Re in a statement.

Catastrophe modelers AIR Worldwide and RMS issued statementssaying that the region suffered extensive power outages from thestorm.

AIR notes that structural-damage reports were few and the “levelof damage is not expected to be severe.”

RMS's Neena Saith says downed trees were the most notablefeature of the storm that disrupted transportation in Scotland andnortheast England.

Neither modeler issued insured-loss estimates and indicated thatthey did not plan to.