Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate

Abstract North Atlantic hurricanes are a major driver of property losses in the United States and a critical peril for the reinsurance industry globally. We leverage insurance loss data and stochastic modeling to investigate the impacts of projected changes in hurricane climatology on the insurance...

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Main Authors: Francesco Comola, Bernhard Märtl, Hilary Paul, Christian Bruns, Klaus Sapelza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01824-7
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author Francesco Comola
Bernhard Märtl
Hilary Paul
Christian Bruns
Klaus Sapelza
author_facet Francesco Comola
Bernhard Märtl
Hilary Paul
Christian Bruns
Klaus Sapelza
author_sort Francesco Comola
collection DOAJ
description Abstract North Atlantic hurricanes are a major driver of property losses in the United States and a critical peril for the reinsurance industry globally. We leverage insurance loss data and stochastic modeling to investigate the impacts of projected changes in hurricane climatology on the insurance industry, for  +2 °C and  +4 °C warming scenarios. We find that, relative to the historical baseline 1950-2022, expected changes in wind speed and rainfall may increase hurricane losses by 5% −15% (+2 °C) and 10% − 30% (+4 °C), with greater impacts at lower return periods than in the tail. The historical 100-year loss event may therefore be exceeded on average every 80 years (+2 °C) and 70 years (+4 °C). The expected changes in average annual loss are projected to be 10% (+2 °C) and 15% (+4 °C), with the largest relative increase attributable to precipitation-induced losses. Under the extreme SSP5-8.5 scenario, the expected loss inflation due to climate change is thus on the order of 0.5% per annum.
format Article
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series Communications Earth & Environment
spelling doaj-art-c73d7fe3083547ec8889e19dc0d7db782025-08-20T02:13:32ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-11-01511810.1038/s43247-024-01824-7Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climateFrancesco Comola0Bernhard Märtl1Hilary Paul2Christian Bruns3Klaus Sapelza4LGT ILS Partners LtdLGT ILS Partners LtdLGT ILS Partners LtdLGT ILS Partners LtdLumen Re LtdAbstract North Atlantic hurricanes are a major driver of property losses in the United States and a critical peril for the reinsurance industry globally. We leverage insurance loss data and stochastic modeling to investigate the impacts of projected changes in hurricane climatology on the insurance industry, for  +2 °C and  +4 °C warming scenarios. We find that, relative to the historical baseline 1950-2022, expected changes in wind speed and rainfall may increase hurricane losses by 5% −15% (+2 °C) and 10% − 30% (+4 °C), with greater impacts at lower return periods than in the tail. The historical 100-year loss event may therefore be exceeded on average every 80 years (+2 °C) and 70 years (+4 °C). The expected changes in average annual loss are projected to be 10% (+2 °C) and 15% (+4 °C), with the largest relative increase attributable to precipitation-induced losses. Under the extreme SSP5-8.5 scenario, the expected loss inflation due to climate change is thus on the order of 0.5% per annum.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01824-7
spellingShingle Francesco Comola
Bernhard Märtl
Hilary Paul
Christian Bruns
Klaus Sapelza
Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
Communications Earth & Environment
title Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
title_full Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
title_fullStr Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
title_full_unstemmed Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
title_short Increase in insurance losses caused by North Atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
title_sort increase in insurance losses caused by north atlantic hurricanes in a warmer climate
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01824-7
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