ISO said that six events in 18 states ranging from Arizona to New York generated nearly 260,000 claims for damage to personal and commercial property and motor vehicles.

Indiana topped ISO's list for insured-property damage ($150 million), followed by Wyoming ($98 million), Louisiana ($95 million), Arizona ($75 million), and Virginia ($50 million).

ISO said catastrophe losses in the quarter were relatively low because there were fewer tornadoes recorded by the National Weather Service? 196 compared with 273 last year, 247 in 2000, and 237 in 1999.

Three catastrophes struck in September, making it the costliest month for insured losses at $380 million, by ISO's calculation.

Two separate windstorm events in Arizona and Utah and in the Ohio Valley (Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio) caused $215 million in insured damages, ISO said. Tropical Storm Isidore rounded out the month when heavy rain and winds caused $165 million in insured losses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

According to ISO figures for third-quarter catastrophe losses since 1992, the highest total came last year when events of 9-11 brought the figure to $20.7 billion. The next highest year was 1992 when the third-quarter losses totaled $17.4 billion.

ISO's PCS unit defines a catastrophe as an event within a particular territory that causes $25 million or more in insured property losses and affects a significant number of property and casualty policyholders and insurers.

PCS estimates represent anticipated insured loss on an industrywide basis arising from catastrophes, reflecting the total net insurance payment for personal and commercial property lines of insurance covering fixed property, personal property, vehicles, boats, related property items, and business-interruption losses. The estimates exclude loss-adjustment expenses.