NU Online News Service, Sept. 21, 11:57 a.m. EDT

Catastrophe losses in 2011 will reach the $1 billion mark for American Family Insurance.

The Madison, Wisc.-based insurer of homes, automobiles, businesses and farms says it has paid about $100 million to victims of a destructive tornado in Joplin, Mo. last May.

The Joplin tornado destroyed 400 homes, and damaged hundreds of others. Policyholders filed 2,300 property, auto and commercial claims.

Severe weather events heavily affected many of the insurer's top states for business, according to Highline Data, a part of Summit Business Media.

About 15.3 percent of American Family's direct premiums written come from Missouri. Other than the Joplin twister, a tornado in St. Louis and a windstorm in Kansas City—both in April—generated more than 21,000 claims and claim payments of $28.5 million and $76.4 million, respectively.

The insurer's home state is its top state for business, accounting for nearly 17 percent of its direct premiums written. La Crosse, Wisc. saw a tornado in May and hailstorms have also hit different parts of the state.

According to Highline Data, American Family was the top homeowners insurer in Wisconsin in 2010 with a 22.9 percent market share.

In Missouri, American Family is second to State Farm for homeowners' insurance with a 16.7 percent market share.

As of July 31, American Family paid $963.5 million in claims and expects the total to reach $1 billion after payments in August.

This is the third year American Family has reached the $1 billion mark in catastrophe losses. The other years were in 2006 and 2008.

The insurer says it paid out $906.3 million for claims in 2010.

Special Reports /

American Family: $1B in 2011 Claims Payments

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