Eye of the storm
As the U.S. hurricane season enters its final two months, all eyes along the Gulf Coast are on Tropical Storm Karen as she roars toward landfall, currently expected somewhere between Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.
Many of the worst storms to strike in past years have caused billions in damage, especially for those residing on the East Coast and in states near the Gulf of Mexico. Energy firms including BP, Chevron, Anadarko and others have evacuated staff or temporarily shut down production along the coast in preparation for the latest storm, which the National Hurricane Center has said could reach hurricane strength before coming ashore.
As companies and residents brace for Karen, CNBC asked: What are the all-time costliest hurricanes to hit the United States? Here are the Top 10, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The damage figures represent insured losses for property coverage and are adjusted to 2012 dollars.
By Brian Beers, Senior Producer
Updated 3 October 2013
No. 10. Frances (2004)—$5.478 Billion
Date of storm: Sept. 3-9, 2004
U.S. areas affected: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina
No. 9. Rita (2005)—$6.493 Billion
Date of storm: Sept. 20-26, 2004
U.S. areas affected: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas
No. 8. Hugo (1989)—$6.957 Billion
Date of storm: Sept. 17-22, 1989
U.S. areas affected: Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands
No. 7. Ivan (2005)—$8.476 Billion
Date of storm: Sept. 15-21, 2004
U.S. areas affected: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
No. 6. Charley (2004)—$8.912 Billion
Date of storm: Aug. 13-14, 2004
U.S. areas affected: Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina
No. 5. Wilma (2005)—$11.885 Billion
Date of storm: Oct. 24, 2005
U.S. areas affected: Florida
No. 4. Ike (2008)—$13.283 Billion
Date of storm: Sept. 12-14, 2008
U.S. areas affected: Arkansas, Illiniois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas
No. 3. Sandy (2012)—$18.750 Billion
Date of storm: Oct. 28-31, 2012
U.S. areas affected: Connecticut, Washington. D.C., Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
No. 2. Andrew (1992)— $23.349 Billion*
Date of storm: Aug. 24-26, 1992
U.S. areas affected: Florida, Louisiana
No. 1. Katrina (2005)—$47.424 Billion
Date of storm: Aug. 25-30, 2005
U.S. areas affected: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee