Summer 2024 shatters records for severe weather damage: Over $7 billion in insured losses from floods, fires and hailstorms
Insurance Bureau of Canada calls on governments to collaborate on reducing disaster risk
Toronto, ON (Oct. 1, 2024) – Four catastrophic weather events this summer caused a combined total of over $7 billion in insured losses, according to initial estimates from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ).
Summer of 2024 now ranks as the most-destructive season in Canadian history for insured losses due to severe weather. In only two months, July and August, this summer eclipsed the worst year on record and has pushed the 2024 year-to-date tally to over $7.7 billion.
Insurers paid out $701 million annually, on average, for severe weather losses from 2001-2010; 2024 losses to date are over ten times that number.
Summer 2024 vs. Canada’s previous top 5 costliest years for insured severe-weather losses on record:
| Rank | Year | Total loss ($ billions*) |
Notable severe weather events |
| 1 | Summer 2024* | 7.1 | Toronto and Southern Ontario floods; Jasper, Alberta wildfire; Calgary, Alberta hailstorm; Quebec floods |
| 2 | 2016 | 6.2 | Fort McMurray, Alberta, wildfire |
| 3 | 2013 | 4.0 | Alberta floods; Greater Toronto Area (GTA) floods; GTA ice storm |
| 4 | 2022 | 3.6 | Multiple events throughout the country |
| 5 | 2023 | 3.6 | Okanagan and Shuswap, BC, area wildfires; Nova Scotia floods |
| 6 | 1998 | 2.9 | Quebec ice storm |
*Summer 2024 includes losses from catastrophic events in only July and August, 2024.
** Total loss and adjusted expenses in 2023 dollars.
“This has been a devastating summer for hundreds of thousands of Canadians. Relentless storms, fires and floods have resulted in approximately 228,000 insurance claims – a 406% increase compared to the 20-year average,” said Celyeste Power, President and CEO, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). “These events are escalating at a shocking rate and Canada is simply not prepared. The insurance industry is committed to working with governments across the country on a collaborative approach to adapting to our changing climate and building resilient communities. Canadians deserve this type of leadership from their elected officials and this level of commitment from the industry they rely so heavily upon.”
Whole-of-society approach needed
IBC and its members have been calling on governments for nearly a decade to take action to adapt to Canada’s changing climate. Insured losses from these events have been climbing for years, with this summer as a stark reminder that Canada has not done enough to prepare. IBC is calling on all governments to treat Canada’s changing climate as the crisis it is and to collaborate on reducing disaster risk. The federal-provincial debates on how best to reduce emissions have overshadowed all efforts to coordinate and invest in climate adaptation. Governments must work together to plot a path forward that better protects communities and families across the country and avert an insurability crisis as millions of new homes are built.
“Insurers are now paying out more in claims for a single event than the $1.9 billion that the federal government has allocated to climate adaptation over the past decade,” said Craig Stewart, Vice-President, Climate Change and Federal Issues, IBC. “Canada needs to get ready for the next disaster. This is not the time for finger pointing, this is the time for governments and the private sector to work together to better protect Canadians and our communities. This is a whole-of-society challenge and requires all leaders and stakeholders to come together to develop a national action plan to ensure Canada is better protected. We all have a role to play in helping communities prepare for and recover from severe weather events.”
“In June 2023, the federal government launched an impressive National Adaptation Strategy but little progress has been made towards achieving its targets at any order of government,” added Stewart. “As costs from climate fueled disasters mount, action from governments to reduce risk is stalled. Municipalities are being funded to build new homes on flood plains and areas prone to wildfire. Other orders of government need to support resilient building so that insurance is available and affordable for homeowners in the future; this includes investments in disaster mitigation such as flood defenses, upgrades to stormwater infrastructure, and programming to help fire- and flood-proof new and existing homes.”
Insured losses due to catastrophic weather are increasing
Below is the breakdown of insured losses for just the four catastrophic weather events of summer 2024:
- Flooding in Toronto and other parts of southern Ontario: $940 million
- Jasper wildfire: $880 million
- Calgary hailstorm: $2.8 billion
- Flooding in regions of Quebec: $2.5 billion
Questions about a claim?
IBC encourages consumers with questions about their Calgary hailstorm claim to call IBC’s Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC (1-844-227-5422).
The amount of insured damage are estimates provided by CatIQ under license to IBC.
About CatIQ
Toronto-based Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ) is a subsidiary of Zurich-based PERILS A.G. and delivers detailed analytical and meteorological information on Canadian natural and man-made catastrophes. Through its online subscription-based platform, CatIQ combines comprehensive insured loss and exposure indices and other related information to better serve the needs of the insurance / reinsurance / ILS industries, public sector and other stakeholders. CatIQ was established in 2014 with the support of the overwhelming majority of the Canadian insurance and reinsurance industry and is widely recognized as the most reliable source of catastrophe loss information in Canada. For more information, please visit catiq.com.
About Insurance Bureau of Canada
Established in 1964, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada’s private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of Canada’s highly competitive property and casualty (P&C) insurance market. As the leading advocate for Canada’s private P&C insurers, IBC collaborates with governments, regulators and stakeholders to support a competitive environment for the P&C insurance industry to continue to help protect Canadians from the risks of today and tomorrow. IBC believes that Canadians value and deserve a responsive and resilient private P&C insurance industry that provides insurance solutions to both individuals and businesses.
For more information, visit www.ibc.ca. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC’s Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC.
Source: Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC)
Tags: CatIQ, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), Natural Catastrophes, natural disaster losses, record-breaking losses, severe weather