Insured losses from Cyclone Debbie have reached $1.4 billion and the total continues to rise nearly four months after the storm hit the Queensland coast, Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) data shows.

The bill is just below the $1.41 billion recorded when Cyclone Yasi struck in 2011.

Insurers have received 58,416 domestic claims and 7462 commercial claims, with 89% from Queensland and the remainder NSW.

The Whitsundays and Mackay regions recorded the largest percentage of claims.

Debbie struck the coast near Airlie Beach on March 28 as a Category 4 tropical cyclone, and over the next seven days it brought heavy rain and flooding as it moved south.

About 60% of residential building and contents claims have now been closed, ICA says.

Munich Re last week estimated Debbie caused overall losses of $US2.7 billion ($3.5 billion) and insured losses of $US1.4 billion ($1.8 billion).

The cyclone destroyed some buildings that pre-dated construction regulations, it says in a half-year catastrophe report.

It shows the importance of making properties more storm resistant, it says.

“The loss pattern… clearly shows that exposure in certain areas continues to be high and that industry needs to address this issue through improved structural measures and professional insurance cover,” board member responsible for the Asia-Pacific region Hermann Pohlchristoph said.

Aon Benfield’s Impact Forecasting estimates economic losses from Debbie at $US2.4 billion ($3 billion) and insured losses at $US1.2 billion ($1.5 billion).