The Roofing Brief research desk aggregated federal disaster data, insurance-industry loss statistics, and building-science research to quantify how wind and storms damage American roofs, and where that damage concentrates. Wind and hail are the single largest driver of United States homeowners insurance losses, and the roof is the primary failure surface. This report pulls the verified numbers into one place for journalists, analysts, and homeowners.
Executive summary
- Wind and hail accounted for between 40.5 percent and 48.3 percent of United States homeowners insurance losses every year from 2018 to 2022, the largest single peril category (Insurance Information Institute, from ISO/Verisk data).
- The United States recorded 27 separate billion-dollar weather disasters in 2024, of which 17 were severe storms and 5 were tropical cyclones, at a combined cost of 182.7 billion dollars (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2024).
- Severe convective storms, the thunderstorm systems that carry damaging straight-line wind, hail, and tornadoes, produced 64 billion dollars in global insured losses in 2024, the highest of any single peril, with the United States generating 117 billion dollars of the 154 billion dollar global total (Gallagher Re, 2024).
- About 1 in 35 insured United States homes files a wind or hail property damage claim in a typical year, at an average paid claim of 13,511 dollars over 2018 to 2022 (Insurance Information Institute, from ISO/Verisk data).
- US roof and storm exposure splits into two distinct wind belts: the Gulf and Atlantic hurricane coast, and the interior severe convective storm corridor from Texas through the Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
- 2024 produced at least 1,735 confirmed tornadoes, the second most since records began in 1950, and the most significant 75 mile-per-hour-plus wind reports on record (NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 2024).
- Roof cover failure is the entry point for most severe wind damage: post-storm engineering surveys repeatedly find that roof and envelope failure, followed by water intrusion, drives a large share of hurricane building losses (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety).
Key findings
- 27 billion-dollar disasters in 2024. The United States sustained 27 separate weather and climate disasters costing at least 1 billion dollars each in 2024, the second-highest annual count on record, totaling 182.7 billion dollars (NOAA NCEI, United States, 2024).
- 17 of those 27 were severe storms. The 2024 breakdown was 17 severe storms, 5 tropical cyclones, 2 winter storms, 1 flooding event, 1 drought and heat wave, and 1 wildfire event (NOAA NCEI, United States, 2024).
- Wind and hail lead the homeowners loss table. Wind and hail represented 40.5 percent (2018), 38.3 percent (2019), 48.3 percent (2020), 39.8 percent (2021), and 40.7 percent (2022) of homeowners insurance losses, the largest category each year (Insurance Information Institute, from ISO/Verisk, United States excluding Alaska, Texas, and Puerto Rico).
- 1 in 35 homes, 13,511 dollars per claim. Wind and hail losses occurred at 2.82 claims per 100 house-years over 2018 to 2022, roughly 1 in 35 insured homes annually, at an average paid claim of 13,511 dollars (Insurance Information Institute, from ISO/Verisk, United States).
- Severe convective storms were the costliest peril of 2024. Severe convective storms produced 64 billion dollars in global insured losses in 2024, the single largest peril, and hail was the leading claims driver (Gallagher Re, global, 2024).
- The United States carried 76 percent of global catastrophe losses. Global insured natural catastrophe losses reached 154 billion dollars in 2024, of which the United States accounted for 117 billion dollars, or 76 percent (Gallagher Re, 2024).
- 2024 was the second most active tornado year on record. At least 1,735 tornadoes were confirmed in 2024, second only to 2004 since records began in 1950 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center, United States, 2024).
- Record significant wind and hail reports in 2024. 2024 logged the most significant 75 mile-per-hour-plus wind reports on record (1,790 through October) and, in May alone, the most significant 2 inch-plus hail reports on record (470), across 24,035 total severe weather reports for the year (NOAA Storm Prediction Center, United States, 2024).
- Two states carry the largest historical catastrophe burden. Florida accounted for 17 percent and Texas 11.2 percent of all United States insured catastrophe losses from 1980 to 2010, the two highest shares (Insurance Information Institute).
- Tornado and thunderstorm events are a chronic loss engine. Tornado, hail, and thunderstorm-wind events accounted for about 40 percent of inflation-adjusted insured catastrophe losses from 1997 to 2016 (Verisk PCS, United States).
- 32.7 million homes sit in the hurricane wind zone. More than 32.7 million single-family homes were at moderate or greater risk of hurricane-force wind in 2024, with a combined reconstruction cost value exceeding 10 trillion dollars along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts (CoreLogic 2024 Hurricane Risk Report).
- Asphalt shingles are the most-exposed roof surface. Asphalt shingles cover about 80 percent of installed United States residential roofs and are the component most frequently damaged in hail and high-wind events (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety).
- Wind losses run into the tens of billions each year. Straight-line and tropical cyclone winds cause an estimated 34 billion dollars in annual property losses in the United States (figure attributed to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety).
- Hurricane Helene was the costliest single 2024 event. Hurricane Helene cost 78.7 billion dollars, the most expensive United States weather disaster of 2024 (NOAA NCEI, 2024).
- Even small hail accelerates roof failure. Asphalt shingles exposed to sub-severe hail between 0.7 and 1 inch became roughly 10 times more susceptible to damage in a later severe hail event (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, 2025).
The national picture: wind is the roof’s biggest enemy
Across the perils that damage American homes, wind and hail sit at the top. The Insurance Information Institute, drawing on ISO/Verisk claims data, reports that wind and hail were the largest share of homeowners insurance losses in every year from 2018 through 2022, ranging from 38.3 percent to 48.3 percent of total losses. Over that five-year window, wind and hail losses ran at 2.82 claims per 100 house-years, about 1 in 35 insured homes per year, at an average paid claim of 13,511 dollars.
Because the roof is the first surface the wind reaches, the roof cover, flashing, and fasteners absorb most of that damage. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety notes that asphalt shingles, which cover about 80 percent of United States homes, are the component most frequently damaged in hail and high-wind events.
Source: Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and Renters Insurance, from ISO/Verisk data, 2018 to 2022.
Wind and hail share of homeowners losses, 2018 to 2022
| Year | Wind and hail share of homeowners losses |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 40.5% |
| 2019 | 38.3% |
| 2020 | 48.3% |
| 2021 | 39.8% |
| 2022 | 40.7% |
Source: Insurance Information Institute, from ISO/Verisk data. Homeowners multiple-peril policies, United States excluding Alaska, Texas, and Puerto Rico.
2024: a record year for storm reports
2024 was one of the most active severe-weather years in the modern record. NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information counted 27 separate billion-dollar disasters, the second-highest annual total ever, at a combined cost of 182.7 billion dollars. Severe storms dominated the count.
2024 United States billion-dollar disasters by type
| Disaster type | Number of events (2024) |
|---|---|
| Severe storms (convective) | 17 |
| Tropical cyclones | 5 |
| Winter storms | 2 |
| Flooding | 1 |
| Drought and heat wave | 1 |
| Wildfire | 1 |
| Total | 27 |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters, 2024. Total cost 182.7 billion dollars.
The storm-report tally underlined the same story. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center confirmed at least 1,735 tornadoes in 2024, the second most since records began in 1950, behind only 2004. The year also set records for significant wind, logging the most 75 mile-per-hour-plus wind reports on record (1,790 through October), and for significant hail, with the most 2 inch-plus hail reports on record in May (470). In total, 24,035 severe weather reports were filed across the country in 2024.
Roof-relevant severe weather activity, 2024
| Metric | 2024 value | Record context |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmed tornadoes | At least 1,735 | 2nd most since 1950 |
| Significant (75 mph-plus) wind reports | 1,790 through October | Most on record (since 1955) |
| Significant (2 inch-plus) hail reports, May | 470 | Most on record for the month |
| Total severe weather reports | 24,035 | Exceptionally active year |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Year-in-Review, 2024.
Where wind damage concentrates: two risk belts
Wind risk to roofs is not evenly distributed. It concentrates in two geographic belts that face different threats.
The coastal hurricane belt. The Gulf and Atlantic coasts carry the tropical cyclone risk. CoreLogic’s 2024 Hurricane Risk Report found more than 32.7 million single-family homes at moderate or greater risk of hurricane-force wind, with a combined reconstruction cost value exceeding 10 trillion dollars. Historically, Florida alone accounted for 17 percent and Texas 11.2 percent of all United States insured catastrophe losses from 1980 to 2010, the two largest state shares (Insurance Information Institute). Hurricane Helene, the costliest United States disaster of 2024 at 78.7 billion dollars, struck this belt.
The interior convective belt. The corridor running from Texas and Oklahoma up through the Mississippi and Ohio valleys faces the tornado, hail, and straight-line wind of severe convective storms. Verisk PCS data show tornado and thunderstorm events accounted for about 40 percent of inflation-adjusted insured catastrophe losses from 1997 to 2016. Gallagher Re reports that severe convective storms were the single costliest peril worldwide in 2024 at 64 billion dollars in insured losses, with hail as the top claims driver.
The practical difference for roofs: coastal roofs face uplift and pressurization from sustained hurricane wind, while interior roofs face repeated impact bruising from hail plus straight-line wind uplift. Both belts converge on the same failure point, the roof cover.
Why the roof fails first
Building-science evidence consistently identifies the roof as the entry point for severe wind damage. Post-hurricane engineering surveys by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety find that roof cover and envelope failure, followed by wind-driven rain entering the structure, drives a large share of hurricane building losses. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, a mitigation nonprofit, has stated that roughly 90 percent of hurricane-related building failures begin with roof envelope compromise. That specific figure is an advocacy-organization estimate rather than a measured statistic, and should be cited with that caveat, but it aligns directionally with the peer engineering consensus that the roof governs building survival in high wind.
Roof age and prior weathering matter. Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety research published in 2025 found that asphalt shingles exposed to sub-severe hail, hailstones between 0.7 and 1 inch, became roughly 10 times more susceptible to damage in a later severe hail event. Repeated small-hail exposure accelerates shingle aging, which raises loss severity when a major storm arrives.
Original synthesis and Roofing Brief calculations
The following figures are original derivations by The Roofing Brief, calculated from the cited public inputs. They are calculations, not published statistics, and each carries the limitations noted.
1. Average wind and hail share of homeowners losses, 2018 to 2022: 41.5 percent
Roofing Brief calculation. Averaging the five annual Insurance Information Institute shares (40.5, 38.3, 48.3, 39.8, and 40.7 percent) yields a simple mean of 41.5 percent. Inputs: Insurance Information Institute annual wind and hail loss shares, from ISO/Verisk, 2018 to 2022. Limitation: this is an unweighted average of annual percentages, not a loss-dollar-weighted figure, and excludes Alaska, Texas, and Puerto Rico.
2. Annualized wind and hail loss cost per insured home: about 381 dollars per year
Roofing Brief calculation. Multiplying the Insurance Information Institute wind and hail claim frequency of 2.82 claims per 100 house-years (0.0282) by the average paid claim of 13,511 dollars gives a pure loss cost of about 381 dollars per insured home per year. Inputs: Insurance Information Institute frequency and severity, from ISO/Verisk, 2018 to 2022. Limitation: this is a pure loss cost only. It excludes insurer expenses, reinsurance loading, and profit, so it is far below the wind and hail portion of an actual premium. It is a five-year average and does not reflect any single year or state.
3. Two 2024 hurricanes equaled roughly a third of United States insured catastrophe losses
Roofing Brief calculation. Gallagher Re reported that Hurricanes Milton and Helene each caused about 20 billion dollars in insured losses in 2024. Their combined 40 billion dollars equals about 34 percent of the 117 billion dollars in United States insured catastrophe losses that year (40 divided by 117). Inputs: Gallagher Re 2024 insured-loss figures. Limitation: individual event loss estimates are rounded and subject to revision as claims develop.
4. The wind-risk belt framework
Roofing Brief synthesis. Combining CoreLogic coastal exposure counts, Insurance Information Institute state catastrophe-loss shares, Verisk PCS peril shares, and NOAA Storm Prediction Center report geography produces a two-belt model: a coastal hurricane belt (Gulf and Atlantic, dominated by tropical cyclone uplift) and an interior convective belt (Texas through the Ohio Valley, dominated by hail and straight-line wind). Limitation: this is an interpretive framework, not a single published dataset. The belts overlap in the Southeast, where states such as Texas and Louisiana face both perils.
Recommended charts
- Wind and hail share of homeowners losses, 2018 to 2022. Data: Insurance Information Institute annual shares. Insight: wind and hail never fall below 38 percent of losses. Citation-worthy because it establishes wind as the structural leader of home losses, not a tail risk.
- 2024 billion-dollar disasters by type. Data: NOAA NCEI event counts. Insight: severe storms outnumber every other category combined. Citation-worthy for showing convective storms, not hurricanes, dominate event frequency.
- Two wind-risk belts map. Data: NOAA Storm Prediction Center report density plus CoreLogic coastal counts. Insight: the coastal and interior belts are geographically distinct. Citation-worthy for regional reporting.
Methodology
Source selection. Priority went to primary federal datasets (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Storm Prediction Center), official insurance-industry aggregators (Insurance Information Institute using ISO/Verisk data), reinsurance catastrophe reports (Gallagher Re), catastrophe modeling (CoreLogic), and building-science research bodies (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety). Advocacy-organization figures are labeled as such.
Inclusion and exclusion rules. Every statistic in this report traces to a source retrieved during research for this report. Figures that could not be independently located were excluded. Where a widely-circulated figure could only be attributed to a secondary source, it is flagged with its attribution and caveat rather than presented as measured fact.
Handling conflicting numbers. The 2024 confirmed tornado count is reported by NOAA as “at least 1,735” because storm surveys continue after year end. We use the NOAA figure. Insured-loss totals differ between reinsurers because of differing methodologies; we attribute each figure to its specific publisher rather than blending them.
Derived figures. All calculations by The Roofing Brief are labeled as calculations with their inputs and limitations. They are not published statistics.
Date of last update. July 2026. Loss and event figures for 2024 reflect the most recent NOAA and reinsurer reporting available at that time and remain subject to revision.
Source quality ranking
Tier 1 (primary government and official industry data): NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters); NOAA Storm Prediction Center (Year-in-Review, storm reports); Insurance Information Institute using ISO/Verisk claims data.
Tier 2 (credible reinsurance, modeling, and building-science bodies): Gallagher Re catastrophe reports; CoreLogic Hurricane Risk Report; Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety research and post-hurricane investigations; Verisk PCS.
Tier 3 (reputable journalism and expert commentary): Insurance Journal and Risk & Insurance reporting on reinsurer data; Federal Alliance for Safe Homes mitigation estimates (advocacy, flagged).
Excluded: unsourced roundup pages, AI-generated statistics pages, and blog figures without primary attribution.
Most quotable statistics
- Wind and hail were the largest share of United States homeowners insurance losses every year from 2018 to 2022, peaking at 48.3 percent in 2020 (Insurance Information Institute).
- About 1 in 35 insured United States homes files a wind or hail claim each year, at an average of 13,511 dollars (Insurance Information Institute, 2018 to 2022).
- The United States had 27 billion-dollar disasters in 2024, 17 of them severe storms, costing 182.7 billion dollars (NOAA NCEI).
- Severe convective storms were the costliest single peril in the world in 2024 at 64 billion dollars in insured losses (Gallagher Re).
- 2024 was the second most active tornado year since 1950, with at least 1,735 confirmed tornadoes (NOAA Storm Prediction Center).
- Asphalt shingles cover about 80 percent of United States roofs and are the component most often damaged by hail and wind (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety).
Data limitations
- Insurance Information Institute homeowners loss shares exclude Alaska, Texas, and Puerto Rico, so national totals understate Texas wind and hail exposure.
- 2024 tornado and loss figures remain preliminary and subject to upward revision as storm surveys and claims develop.
- Reinsurer insured-loss estimates (Gallagher Re) use proprietary methods and are not directly comparable to NOAA total economic-cost figures, which include uninsured losses.
- The 34 billion dollar annual wind-loss figure and the 90 percent roof-envelope figure are attributed estimates from industry and advocacy bodies, not measured government statistics.
- The Roofing Brief calculations are derived figures, clearly labeled, and should not be cited as published statistics.
Downloadable dataset: recommended fields
A companion dataset for this topic should include: year; peril type (hurricane, tornado, hail, straight-line wind); state or metro; event count; insured loss (nominal and inflation-adjusted); total economic cost; homes at risk; average claim frequency; average claim severity; roof cover type; and source and methodology notes for each row.
Press summary (150 words)
Wind and storms are the dominant threat to American roofs, and the numbers are stark. Wind and hail were the single largest driver of United States homeowners insurance losses every year from 2018 to 2022, ranging from 38 to 48 percent of all losses, according to the Insurance Information Institute. About 1 in 35 insured homes files a wind or hail claim annually, at an average of 13,511 dollars. In 2024, NOAA counted 27 billion-dollar disasters, 17 of them severe storms, costing 182.7 billion dollars, and the year ranked second for tornadoes since 1950. Risk concentrates in two belts: the Gulf and Atlantic hurricane coast, where more than 32.7 million homes face hurricane-force wind, and the interior convective corridor from Texas to the Ohio Valley. Because the roof is the first surface wind reaches, roof cover failure is the entry point for most severe storm damage to homes.
Suggested headlines
- Wind and Hail Are the Number One Threat to American Roofs, Insurance Data Shows
- 27 Billion-Dollar Disasters in 2024: Why 17 Were Storms That Start at the Roof
- The Two Wind Belts That Decide Where American Roofs Fail
- 1 in 35 Homes: The Real Odds of a Wind or Hail Roof Claim
- Severe Storms, Not Hurricanes, Are the Costliest Peril for US Roofs
Frequently asked questions
How common are wind and hail roof insurance claims?
About 1 in 35 insured United States homes files a wind or hail property damage claim in a typical year, a rate of 2.82 claims per 100 house-years over 2018 to 2022, according to the Insurance Information Institute using ISO/Verisk data.
What share of home insurance losses come from wind and hail?
Wind and hail were the largest share of United States homeowners insurance losses every year from 2018 to 2022, ranging from 38.3 percent in 2019 to 48.3 percent in 2020 (Insurance Information Institute).
How much does the average wind or hail claim cost?
The average paid wind or hail homeowners claim was 13,511 dollars over 2018 to 2022, according to the Insurance Information Institute using ISO/Verisk data.
How many billion-dollar storm disasters did the United States have in 2024?
The United States had 27 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2024, of which 17 were severe storms and 5 were tropical cyclones, costing 182.7 billion dollars in total (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information).
Which region has the most wind risk to roofs?
Wind risk concentrates in two belts: the Gulf and Atlantic hurricane coast, where more than 32.7 million homes face hurricane-force wind (CoreLogic, 2024), and the interior severe convective corridor from Texas through the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, where tornado and hail losses concentrate (Verisk PCS, NOAA).
Which states have the highest catastrophe losses?
Florida accounted for 17 percent and Texas 11.2 percent of all United States insured catastrophe losses from 1980 to 2010, the two highest state shares (Insurance Information Institute).
Was 2024 a bad year for tornadoes?
Yes. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center confirmed at least 1,735 tornadoes in 2024, the second most since records began in 1950, behind only 2004.
What is a severe convective storm?
A severe convective storm is a thunderstorm system that can produce damaging straight-line wind, hail, and tornadoes. Severe convective storms were the costliest single insured peril worldwide in 2024 at 64 billion dollars (Gallagher Re).
Why does the roof fail first in a storm?
The roof is the first surface high wind reaches, so roof cover, flashing, and fasteners absorb most damage. Post-hurricane engineering surveys find that roof and envelope failure, followed by water intrusion, drives a large share of hurricane building losses (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety).
Does hail damage add up even when it is small?
Yes. Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety research published in 2025 found that asphalt shingles exposed to sub-severe hail between 0.7 and 1 inch became roughly 10 times more susceptible to damage in a later severe hail event.
Related Roofing Brief research
- FORTIFIED Roof Performance: How Much Hurricane Damage It Actually Prevents
- Roof Leak Insurance Claims: Frequency and Cost by Cause
- Roof Age and Hail Claim Severity: How Much More an Old Roof Costs Insurers
- Impact-Resistant Shingle Insurance Discounts by State
- Winter Roof Collapse and Snow-Load Losses: What Failure Costs
Reviewed by The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed July 2026.