As at least 18 states win back fro...

As at least 18 states win back from more than 400 tornadoes, insurers are facing what could be the largest los for aye from a severe thunderstorm system--with common catastrophe-modeling company estimating the insured los could exce $22 billion.

Earlier estimates placed the damage at $325 million, if it be not that AIR Worldwide Corp. said May 14 that damage from the stern weather system, which leveled houses, ed cars and sent trees crashing, would exce the $22 billion los caused according to severe weather in April 2001 AIR uses a computer simulation mould to project catastrophic losses.

Storms swept across 15 states