The impact of extreme weather for insurers
An American insurer GCube has reported that summer 2022 was the worst summer on record for natural catastrophe and extreme weather related claims in the US. Natural catastrophes and extreme weather are becoming more prevalent and damaging, naturally resulting in increased insurance payouts.
For example, in 2022 insured losses arising from severe hail stones in Texas were expected to reach $300 million. The solar power industry is particularly vulnerable to harsher weather conditions partly due to a move towards the use of thinner glass to reduce the use of raw materials during the construction phase, which can result in solar panels being less resilient to weather conditions.
What can insurers learn from this?
Harsh weather conditions seem to be occurring at a quicker rate than the development of strategies to mitigate such events in the North American market. This is also likely to be the case outside of North America. The rise of natural catastrophe and extreme weather conditions is unsurprising given climate change challenges, but the increase in related insurance claims and the continued difficulty of managing such risks is a continued cause for concern for insurers.
As suggested by the CEO of GCube, “a more adequate market correction is needed to address the growing severity of natural catastrophes and extreme weather events.”
Key contact
Tim Johnson
Partner
tim.johnson@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)115 976 6557
You may be interested in...
You may be interested in...
Legal Update
Building an inclusive workplace: strategies for attracting and retaining disabled talent
On-Demand
Kinship care: DJ v Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and SG
Legal Update
After a pause, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) regulation becomes one step closer
Legal Update
Updates to the UK’s Arbitration Bill
Legal Update
Ozempic: The rising costs and coverage issues of weight loss medication
Legal Update - Employment Rights Bill
What does the Employment Rights Bill mean for employment practices liability insurance?
Legal Update
ICAEW: Changes to PII requirements
Legal Update
Contractor insolvency: Peabody Trust v NHBC
Legal Update
Insurability by design: Increased transparency for vehicle manufacturers and insurers
Legal Update
By a narrow 2 to 1 majority, the Court of Appeal finds in favour of insurers in the construction of an exclusion clause in a W&I policy
Legal Update
Organisational approaches to ESG and sustainability matters
Legal Update
LMA binders’ consultation
Legal Update
Smooth sailing ahead: The LMA's new Open Form Default Clause
Legal Update
PFAS: The issue that won’t go away
Legal Update
Oklahoma earthquake: Racial discrimination in adjudication
Legal Update
Will the Online Safety Act help reduce Google ad spoofing in insurance?
Legal Update
Vicarious liability for kinship foster carer abuse: Implications for local authority insurers
Legal Update
Latest short-term insurance trends
Legal Update
Motor finance complaints on hold: Why now is the time for strategic action
Published Article
General insurance claims part 3: evidence of the insurance markets’ learnings from the consumer duty
Legal Update
Artificial intelligence putting the ‘actuarial defence’ to the test?
Legal Update
Under the influence: France introduces insurance requirement for influencers
Legal Update
Insuring a summer of sport
Legal Update
The impact of UK riots on insurers
Legal Update - The Word
The Word, August 2024
Legal Update
Product Safety and Metrology Bill: E-bike and e-scooter fires
Opinion
Choose your words wisely: Balancing inclusivity and employees’ beliefs at work
Published Article - Consumer Duty
General insurance claims: The consumer duty’s easy target? (part 2: ‘a history of warnings’)
Legal Update
Words matter: Another case on the importance of accurate drafting
Legal Update
How might AI impact insurer climate targets?
Legal Update
London Fire Brigade to stop attending for automatic fire alarms: Implications for insurers
Legal Update
Navigating Oil Price Cap legislation: LMA issues revised Cargo and Hull wordings
Legal Update
It’s not cricket: Insurers change their mind about jurisdiction
Legal Update
Using AI to help spot vulnerable customers
Legal Update
Is your cyber resilience shored up?
Legal Update
CrowdStrike: Assessing the fallout of potentially the “largest IT outage in history”
Press Release
Browne Jacobson survey finds 38% of insurers considering pulling out of the solicitors PII market
Legal Update - DORA
EU Digital Operational Resilience Act: Countdown to comply with the January 2025 deadline
Legal Update
Changing lanes: Automated Vehicles Act 2024 becomes law
