A bird flu pandemic in the US would kill as many as 1.9 million people and cost US life insurers $US133 billion ($176.8 billion) if past pandemic trends are anything to go by.

The scenario uses data from the “Spanish flu” pandemic of 1918 – which was actually a form of avian flu. A moderate influenza outbreak like the outbreaks of 1957 and 1968 could cause 209,000 deaths, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The “moderate outbreak” scenario could cost the life insurance industry $US31 billion ($41.2 billion) in extra life insurance claims.

The “severe” forecast of 1.9 million deaths would cause claims of $US54 billion ($71.8 billion) for group life insurance policies and $US79 billion ($105 billion) for individual life insurance policies.