The announcements came six days after Hurricane Charley, the worst US storm in 12 years, killed at least 20 people and wrecked thousands of homes.

"Based on preliminary estimates, it expects claims related to Hurricane Charley to be below 200 million dollars before tax," Swiss Re said in a statement, adding that the sum would not alter its full year profit forecasts.

For its part, insurance company Zurich Financial Services said the storm would cost it about 150 million dollars in reinsurance claims.

Top catastrophe modelling agencies have warned that last Friday's hurricane, the worst since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, would cost insurers up to 10 billion dollars.

TERRA.WIRE