The insured cost of storms that battered Europe in July has been estimated at €2.186 billion ($3.535 billion) by catastrophe data group Perils.

The initial estimate is based on loss data collected from affected insurers, covering home and motor lines of business.

A wave of severe convective storms (SCS) swept across Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy from July 13-19. Most damage was to properties, caused by strong wind and flying debris, properties and vehicles struck by hailstones, and cellars and basements hit by flash floods.

“While multibillion-euro SCS industry losses in Europe are not unheard of, the sheer magnitude of the loss is striking when the tally is calculated,” Perils product manager Luzi Hitz said.

“Unlike floods, cyclones or earthquakes, SCS rarely make the international headlines, as they are normally localised events.

“This could create a perception bias, potentially leading to an underestimation of the overall impact of SCS. It is therefore essential to collect loss data from major SCS outbreaks systematically to determine the true extent of these weather events.”

He says the combination of large hail, strong gusts and torrential rain is typical for such storms.

“What stood out about the mid-July 2026 event was its lengthy duration and geographical extent, and the intensity of the individual storm cells.

“These features are essentially driven by the steadily warming atmosphere, and therefore this will likely not be the last time we see a multibillion SCS event in Europe.”

Perils will give an updated loss estimate next month.