NU Online News Service, July 8, 2:36 p.m.EDT

Catastrophe losses in June cost U.S. insurers at least a quarterbillion dollars, and China suffered more than $5 billion ineconomic loss.

In its Monthly Catastrophe Recap Report, Aon Benfield says thatduring the period of June 1-10, insurers in the United Statesreceived more than 45,000 claims from severe weather outbreaks,primarily in the Midwest, but also in the Northeast, paying outapproximately $250 million to insureds.

Those numbers do not include losses from several wildfires that hit Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Florida,destroying close to 300 structures and burning hundreds ofthousands of acres. Two people died in those fires. The cost tofight the fires was estimated as at least $160 million.

Later in the month, a stretch between June 16 and 23, stormsystems hitting the central United States caused damage in theChicago area and Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky.

Fire in the Southwest at the end of the month resulted in $500million in economic damage to timber to be used for lumber, plywoodand paper products.

In an email response to questions, Steve Bowen, seniormeteorologist at Aon Benfield's Impact Forecasting team, saysJune's severe weather added to the “$15.5 billion already seenduring the January-May 2011 period.”

He adds, “June was a reprieve from what we've seen this yearthus far. As we head closer toward the peak of the Atlantichurricane season, the focus will continue to be on the potentialfor a land-falling U.S. hurricane. The U.S. remains due for alandfall, considering 2008's Hurricane Ike was the last one thatwe've seen; 2005's Hurricane Wilma was the last major hurricane tocome ashore in the [United States].”

While the United States suffered its weather losses, Chinaexperienced heavy flooding during June that impacted at least 37million people and submerged more than two million acres offarmland.

Flooding killed at least 199 people, damaging more than 500,000homes and causing around $5.4 billion in economic loss.

Steve Jakubowski, president of Impact Forecasting, says Chinahas suffered a number of costly weather events this year and themodeler is employing “the very latest risk science to help Chinaunderstand the risks it faces.”

Bowen says, “There is little publicly available information onChina's insured losses from natural-disaster events, but it islikely that a vey small percentage of the $5.4 billion in floodlosses would be insured.”

The report also notes:

• In Minot, N.D., record overflow from the Souris River floodedmore than 4,100 homes in the city, causing at least $200 million indamages and reconstruction costs throughout the river basin, whilein Canada, dozens of homes were inundated by the floodwaters.
• Tropical Storm Arlene became the first Atlantic cyclone of2011, making landfall near Cabo Rojo, Mexico. The storm killed atleast 20 people following widespread flooding and landslides in thestates of Veracruz, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi.
• On Mexico's Pacific Coast, Hurricane Beatriz skirted thecoastline and caused three fatalities.
• In Asia, three separate tropical storms—Sarika, Haima andMeari—crossed the Western Pacific Ocean Basin and caused 67 deathsand $342 million in damages across parts of China, the Philippines,Korea and Vietnam.
• Two strong aftershocks (of magnitudes 5.2 and 6.0) struckgreater Christchurch in New Zealand during the month, leaving atleast one person dead and 46 more injured. Damage was reportedthroughout Christchurch and its eastern suburbs due to groundshaking and resultant liquefaction and rockslides. The governmenthas released no official preliminary loss projections. The NewZealand Earthquake Commission has received at least 22,000insurance claims.