Near-record snowfall and prolonged extreme cold throughout muchof the U.S. have caused more than $1.5 billion in insuredlosses so far this year, according to the Insurance InformationInstitute.

The $1.5 billion figure covers events from Jan. 1 through Feb.21, and only includes two of the four winter storms so far in2014.

Over 175,000 claims have been paid to policyholders so far,according to PCS, a division of Verisk Analytics. Insured lossesinclude roof collapses, downed tree limbs and power lines, burstpipes from freezing and auto accidents, says I.I.I. Companies havealso sustained business interruption and supply-chain losses due tosevere travel and transportation delays and closings.

Despite the severity of this winter, losses are well within themagnitude planned for by insurers, says Robert Hartwig, presidentof I.I.I.

In the chart below, I.I.I. lists the top 10 winter storm andwinter damage events in the U.S. and Canada from 1980 to 2013. Thecost of these events in insured losses have been adjusted to 2013inflation.

The costliest event was "The Storm of the Century" from Mar.11-14, 1993. In today's figures, the insurance industry sustainedover $3.2 billion in insured losses with that storm, which dumpedfeet of snow from Canada down to the southern U.S., with even theFlorida panhandle reporting four inches of snow, says Hartwig.