PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organisation providing industry-wide catastrophe insurance data, has disclosed that its second industry loss estimate for the Australia East Coast Severe Convective Storms (SCS) is A$1,512m ($1,052bn).
The disaster affected the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria during the period of 26 October to 1 November 2025.
In line with the PERILS coverage definition for Australia, loss estimates cover the property and motor hull lines of business and are based on loss data collected from the affected insurers.
From 26 October to 1 November 2025, the east coast of Australia was affected by a prolonged period of severe convective storm activity. The greater Brisbane area in South East Queensland was impacted the most when fierce thunderstorms hit on 26 October. This was followed by a period of more moderate storm activity along the east coast for a few days, with further severe outbreaks impacting South East Queensland and New South Wales on 31 October and 1 November, respectively.
Mr Darryl Pidcock, Head of Asia Pacific & Cyber at PERILS, said, “Australia experienced two episodes of SCS activity in the spring of 2025. The first one in late October, the second in late November. Together, insurance losses from these two episodes add up to more than A$4bn. This is a significant amount and given the observed increase in the October event, which is entirely driven by increases in loss estimates provided by participating insurers, these losses have the potential to grow further.”
He continued: “SCS events can involve a tumultuous mixture of loss-driving causes. Hail, high winds, flying debris and overblown trees, coupled with super-intense precipitation, can act simultaneously and contribute to damage to properties and cars. Loss estimations for SCS events are therefore rather demanding, even more so given the fact that the vulnerability of insured risk is changing with new cladding and roofing materials being used and more solar panels being installed.”