Texas sustained $1.8 billion in 2014 first-half catastrophelosses—including $1.4 billion in Q2—to lead all states during whatwas generally a mild stretch for cats in the U.S.

PCS says Texas was a part of seven catastrophe events in2014's first half. The three biggest were wind and thunderstormevents that occurred from March 27-29 ($375.8 million in insuredlosses in the state), April 2-4 ($761.2 million) and Jne 12-13($361.8 million).

Illinois and Pennsylvania followed Texas with $737 million and$677 million in first-half cat losses, according to Property ClaimServices' Q2 2014 Catastrophe Review.

Overall, PCS says first-half cat activity hit 36 states, whilelosses, at $9.5 billion, were about in line with the 10-yearaverage at $9.7 billion. PCS says this is the first time since 2010cat losses were below $10 billion in the first half of the year,and the lowest losses have been since 2009.

While cat losses were just below the 10-year average, PCS saysevent frequency was slightly above. PCS designated 20 cat events inthe U.S., compared to the 10-year average of 18.6. Three of the 20events caused insured losses of more than $1 billion, and anotherseven exceeded $250 million.

A Feb. 21 blog post by Ted Gregory, PCS manager, says PCSconsiders a number of factors when determining if it will designatean event as a catastrophe, including whether it's likely to causeat least $25 million in insured losses and whether it will impact asignificant number of insureds and insurers.

Sixty-three percent of first-half losses, or $6 billion, werefrom personal claims, while 20% were auto losses and 17%commercial. This, notes PCS, marks a shift from the first-quarterbreakdown, when the polar vortex caused an outsized number ofpersonal losses (75%) compared to commercial (23%) and auto(2%).

In Q2, PCS says it designated 13 cat events, all wind andthunderstorm with nine tornado events, compared to the 10-yearaverage of 11.6 events. Insured losses totaled $6.5 billion, down from $7.2 billion in Q2 2013 and the lowest level since2010.

The largest Q2 event was a mid-May wind and thunderstorm eventthat caused more than $1.5 billion in damage across 11 states, PCSsays. That event hit Colorado and Pennsylvania hardest, causing$300.5 million in losses in each state.