From wildfires on Maui to powerful hurricanes along the East Coast, recent news cycles have reminded us that Mother Nature can pack a powerful wallop. Natural disasters are not new; Pompeii was lost to the lava nearly 2,000 years ago. Yet they seem to be happening more frequently and with more ferocity than ever before, with six of the 11 most expensive natural disasters in the U.S. over the past 40 years occurring between 2012 and 2022.1
The 11 Most Expensive Natural Disasters in the U.S. since 19802
| Year | Event | Amount in billions, adjusted for inflation |
| 2022 | Hurricane Ian | $112.9 |
| 2021 | Hurricane Ida | $59.5 |
| 2017 | Hurricane Harvey | $148.9 |
| 2017 | Hurricane Maria | $107.1 |
| 2017 | Hurricane Irma | $59.5 |
| 2012 | Superstorm Sandy | $82.0 |
| 2008 | Hurricane Ike | $40.2 |
| 2005 | Hurricane Katrina | $186.3 |
| 1993 | Great Flood of 1993 | $38.6 |
| 1992 | Hurricane Andrew | $51.3 |
| 1988 | Drought and Heat Wave | $50.6 |
In the first nine months of 2023 alone, there were 23 confirmed weather- or climate-related disasters in the U.S., each with total losses over $1 billion.3 And that doesn’t include the drought affecting numerous states across the Midwest, where a lack of rainfall has caused negative impacts on crops and livestock.
Each new natural disaster serves as a reminder that our lives and property are often at the mercy of the elements. Even our portfolios can be impacted by tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts and floods. Companies of all sizes and across industries may see their operations disrupted, due to damage to facilities, lack of power or other utilities, or even decreased manpower as employees tend to their personal property. This can result in cash-flow issues for the company, decreased production or inventory shortages due to post-disaster supply-chain snarls. These challenges can dampen companies’ earnings, possibly affecting how investments within your portfolio perform. They may also lead to higher costs for consumers as demand for products exceeds availability and companies raise prices in response.
Recovery from natural disasters such as these doesn’t happen overnight. One report revealed it took three years for cities and businesses in Texas to resume normal life and operations after Hurricane Harvey hit the region in 2017.4 The Great Flood of 1993 lasted nearly 200 days in some locations, impacting farms and businesses across nine states and stopping barge traffic on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers for almost two full months.5
One way to help protect your portfolio from declines following a natural disaster is to diversify across a wide range of security types, classes or industries. Potential loss is mitigated by spreading assets across a large number of companies and industries; when one asset category declines, other categories may offset losses by outperforming.
You might also consider diversifying internationally across different hemispheres. Since the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience opposite seasons, they aren’t subject to the same types of weather disasters at the same time.
While you can’t buy insurance to help protect against stock market declines, property insurance can help pay for emergency expenses or property damage. Owning the right amount of insurance reduces the need to liquidate your portfolio or sell assets to cover household expenses or loss of income.
The good news is natural disasters don’t tend to have a long-term impact on stock market performance. For example, the S&P 500 dropped when Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida in late September 2022. The index had more than recovered its losses just one month later and gained nearly 1,000 points over the following 12 months.6
Natural disasters may also present investment opportunities, especially in certain industries. Gas prices may rise if a hurricane takes refineries offline. Building materials and construction work become hot commodities as people in the affected areas rebuild or repair damaged homes and structures. Stock prices may rise as a result, although these are generally short-term price changes due to proactive investors looking to take advantage of a temporary surge or to help protect their portfolio from losses. Prices tend to normalize as recovery continues and companies resume regular operations.
One of the best ways to help protect your investments from the impact of the increasing number of natural disasters each year is to be prepared. Using standard defensive tactics such as diversification can help mitigate potential losses when natural disasters happen. You can also potentially add a component of growth by investing in developing industries that are working toward long-term strategies to help offset the impact of extreme weather.
If you are impacted by a natural disaster, you may be able to offset losses with tax deductions for property damages. Visit www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations to see if you meet the criteria for tax relief.
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