Nov 3 (Reuters) - Insured losses from Hurricane

Melissa's strike on Jamaica are expected to range between $2.2

billion and $4.2 billion, according to estimates from data

analytics firm Verisk.

The Category 5 hurricane made landfall in southwestern

Jamaica last week, the Caribbean nation's strongest-ever storm

to directly hit its shores, and the first major hurricane since

1988.

Verisk's Extreme Event Solutions unit said most modeled

losses were due to wind damage, with flooding from heavy rain

also contributing. Montego Bay, a popular tourist location, also

sustained major damage.

Extreme weather, intensified by climate change, challenges

the insurance industry with mounting costs from frequent and

severe natural disasters. Rising claims have pressured

underwriting results and forced insurers to reassess risk models

and pricing strategies.

New Jersey-based Verisk primarily serves property and

casualty insurers, providing catastrophe modeling and predictive

analysis to help them with risk assessment and policy pricing.