A winter storm blanketing the Northeast captured the headlines this past weekend, but major storm activity that spread through the Midwest and South has also left insurers with plenty of damage to assess.

Snowfall records were broken as a Nor'easter pummeled Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Eastern Long Island with up to 38 inches in some areas. The storm closed highways and six states declared states of emergency.

Steve Bowen, a spokesman for Aon Benfield's catastrophe modeler, Impact Forecasting, says via e-mail that it remains far too early to provide an estimate of losses. In many of the affected areas, damage assessments are only now beginning, he notes..

He says in addition to the snow, there were wind gusts in excess of 80 mph that led to widespread power outages.

According to some reports, more than 664,000 customers were without power from Maine to Pennsylvania.

Bowen says rain and warming temperatures today could cause even more damage, as melting snow could put more weight on structures, leading to roof collapses.

Matt Bordonaro, a spokesman for Travelers, says the company sent e-mails advising customers on how to ensure proper drainage around their homes and warning them about too much weight piling up on roofs.

The Travelers' risk-control group issued similar advice to commercial customers.

The high volume of snow did not produce a high volume of claims, says a Liberty Mutual spokeswoman in an e-mail. She adds the company realizes that many customers are without power and unable to contact the carrier, but Liberty is well staffed to promptly handle any claim yet to be reported.

In the South, 12 tornadoes hit Mississippi and Alabama late yesterday, according to the National Weather Service.

A tornado touched down in Hattiesburg, Miss., damaging around 300 homes and leaving more than 60 injured. Television reports showed extensive damage to buildings on the University of Southern Mississippi campus.

Turning to the Midwest, forecasters expect blizzard conditions today from Colorado to Wisconsin, with winds hitting speeds of up to 50 mph.

Updated Feb. 12 at 9:52 a.m. EST with comments from Liberty Mutual.

Special Reports /

Nor'easter Headlines Weekend Weather Events Expected to Impact Insurers

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