Property Claim Services said it has declared both the April 28 Virginia tornado outbreak and the May 1 to May 2 twisters in in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas as an insurance catastrophe events.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for State Farm, which has a 20 percent share of the home insurance market in Virginia, said the company as of Thursday had received claims for 260 damaged homes, some of which were totally destroyed.

Gary Kerney, assistant vice president of Property Claim Services at Insurance Services Office in Jersey City, N.J., said "PCS assigned a catastrophe serial number to the damage caused by the Virginia tornado outbreak. Serial No. 37 identifies damage from wind and tornadoes in Virginia and possibly other areas on April 28 as a catastrophe. The PCS preliminary estimate of insured property damage is not yet available."

PCS also did not have a damage estimate for catastrophe No. 38 involving damage caused by the severe weather that hit in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and possibly other areas.

PCS generally qualifies a catastrophe as an event that causes $25 million or more in insured losses.

Information related to Friday's tornado, which struck Arkansas, is not presently available, according to a PCS spokesperson.

Insurance Information Institute said more than 140 homes and several buildings, including a hospital, were destroyed by the three twisters that hit Suffolk, Va., and two towns close to Richmond.

In 16 Arkansas counties tornadoes and storms destroyed 350 homes and businesses, killing at least seven people and injuring 13, I.I.I. said.

State Farm said that it appears that 10 tornadoes hit Arkansas primarily in rural farmland areas. As of midday Monday, the company said it had recorded 250 claims and expected more to come in .

Spokesman Gary Stephenson said the hardest hit areas appeared to be the municipalities of Greers Ferry and Carlisle.

The Institute noted that each year about 1,200 tornadoes with wind speeds as high as 300 mph touch down in the United States. Though not generally as destructive as hurricanes, tornadoes are more frequent and can also cause severe damage.

This article updated May 6, 8:48 a.m.

Special Reports /

PCS Gives Cat Ratings To Va., Ala. Twisters

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