Wild weather claims tally ‘lowest in a decade’
NRMA Insurance says March and April “wild weather” claim numbers were down 47%, giving it the quietest start to a year in more than a decade after a benign January and February.
The insurer received 8422 autumn weather damage claims – 5875 for home and the rest motor.
That compares with 15,840 in autumn last year and 7962 last summer.
A storm and hail event that hit outer-western Sydney and the Blue Mountains on March 21 accounted for one-third of all claims nationally.
The insurer notes the Bureau of Meteorology and other agencies forecast El Nino is likely to develop in coming months. Historically, this has brought hotter and drier conditions for Australia’s east.
“Emerging dry conditions and a developing El Nino are now driving heightened bushfire risk across Australia this winter,” NRMA Insurance’s latest weather tracker report says.
“Fire can occur at any time of year when weather and fuel conditions align, as the unprecedented 2025 LA wildfires showed.
“As communities expand into the bushland-urban boundary, more people and homes face greater bushfire risk.”
Since 2016, the average cost of a bushfire claim is 69% higher than a flood claim, NRMA Insurance NSW data shows. However, just 6% of Australians typically think about preparing for bushfires during winter, it says.
EGM of perils and meteorologist Peter Chan says winter is expected to be dry in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, SA and parts of WA.
Days may be about 1 degree or more warmer than usual, and the dry outlook means bushfire risk remains elevated across already dry central eastern Queensland and central eastern NSW.
The peak period for east coast lows is looming. These can bring short bursts of heavy rain, strong wind and thunderstorms, and grassfire activity is possible during windy periods.
NRMA Insurance property assessor Judi Hindson says embers can cause the most damage during a bushfire.
Trimming trees, clearing debris and keeping flammable materials away from homes can significantly reduce risk.
“You can’t stop a bushfire, but you can reduce how vulnerable your home is,” she said.
From the latest Insurance News magazine: We take a tour around Suncorp’s Disaster Management Centre, and find out how it is reshaping catastrophe responses