How much does the U.S. spend on natural disasters every year?

The US spent a total of $306 billion on natural disasters in 2017 — far more than ever before. read more

Spending money depends on whether natural disaster hit that year or not. In 2012 when hurricane Sandy hit, the federal government spent +$60B for disaster relief, but they usually spend less than $10B when there are no natural disasters. This is because disaster recovery and rebuilding communities require a lot of money. read more

The Department of Agriculture spent $27 billion on crop insurance, which includes payments after an unsually severe drought in the Midwest in 2012. The Army Corps of Engineers has spent some $7 billion on flood control between 2011 and 2013. But disaster-relief spending pops up in unexpected places, too. read more

A 2005 study by the National Institute of Building Sciences reviewed 10 years of federal government spending on hazard mitigation for earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods and found that every dollar spent in preparing for these types of disasters saved roughly $4 in recovery costs. read more