Hurricane Irma likely caused between $35 billion and $55 billion in insured losses in the U.S. and the Caribbean combined, according to the latest estimate from catastrophe modeler RMS.
Broken down, the estimate includes insured losses stemming from wind, storm surge and inland flood damage in Florida and the southeast United States. National Flood Insurance Program-related losses are also included in the RMS estimate, as well as insured losses relating to wind and storm surge in the Caribbean.
About $25 billion to $35 billion of the insured losses will come from the United States, with $10 billion to $20 billion coming from the Caribbean, RMS said.
RMS said uninsured rainfall-driven flood losses in the U.S., and uninsured wind and storm surge losses in the Caribbean, should also be “significant.” As a result, Irma-related economic losses could reach between $60 billion and $95 billion, RMS noted.
While the Caribbean doesn’t have as high an insurance take-up rate as the U.S., Irma-related insurance losses will still hurt. RMS said its $10 billion to $20 billion insured loss figure for the Caribbean factors in insured wind losses, with five islands in the region dealing with high loss ratios and catastrophic damage.
Source: RMS