Brought to you by:

European windstorm losses likely to top $US1 billion

Economic and insured losses from windstorms Mike and Niklas, which swept across Europe at the end of last month, are expected to pass $US1 billion ($1.3 billion), according to Impact Forecasting’s March global catastrophe report.

The catastrophe modelling arm of Aon Benfield says the US has experienced one of the quietest starts to its severe weather season in recent years, but extreme winter weather across some regions caused insured losses of $US110 million ($143.16 million).

Cyclone Olwyn caused at least $100 million of economic losses in WA, and Cyclone Marcia in Queensland in February led to economic losses of more than $US590 million ($767.86 million).

When Cyclone Pam struck Vanuatu it became the strongest cyclone to make landfall since Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.