A storm in Canterbury last September made 2013 the second most expensive year on record for weather-related damage in New Zealand.
The Canterbury storm in September 2013 brought trees and power lines down. Photo: RNZ
The Insurance Council of New Zealand says there were over $174 million of insured costs from weather damage in 2013 - the second most expensive year in almost 50 years.
Thge storm on 11 and 12 September was responsible for $74.5 million of that, making it the third most expensive storm since records began in 1968, AAP reports.
Most of the damage - $42 million - was to commercial property, while $18 million was domestic damage, and $NZ9.5 million was to motor vehicles.
There were three other expensive storms in 2013.
A storm that hit Nelson and Tasman, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato in April caused $46.2 million of insured damage, while $39.2 million of damage was caused in Wellington and parts of the South Island in June.
The record books were topped in 2004 when there was $181 million worth of insured damage.
Insurance Council chief executive Tim Grafton said the total losses from weather damage may rise as the council is still awaiting the final figures for another storm in October.
