Millions in damage caused by storms: Rhineland-Palatinate is spared

Millions in damage caused by storms: Rhineland-Palatinate is spared

In 2024, motor vehicle insurers in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland reported a noticeable decline in storm damage. Despite the positive trend, insurance companies report that losses are still in the millions. How Rhine Palatinate According to reports, around 6,500 vehicles in Rhineland-Palatinate were damaged by extreme weather conditions such as storms and hailstorms, resulting in a total of 18 million euros in damage. In Saarland there were at least 1,500 claims with a total amount of around five million euros.

Compared to 2023, the numbers show a dramatic decline: At that time, there were 29,000 storm damages in Rhineland-Palatinate, which cost 107 million euros. In addition, there were 3,000 storm damages in Saarland with a total value of nine million euros. This shows that the deployment of weather services and lightning protection infrastructure is definitely bearing fruit. At the federal level, the number of storm damages in 2024 will be around 340,000, which is in line with the long-term average values.

The costs of natural hazards

Regardless of the positive developments in the region, the overall picture is alarming. In 2023, hail, storms and heavy rain caused damage worth 5.7 billion euros in Germany, according to the daily news. This corresponds to an increase of 1.7 billion euros compared to the previous year. The storms in August and the Whitsun weather alone contributed significantly to the high costs, with estimates of between 200 million euros in insured damage after the Whitsun weather.

A trend that cannot be ignored is inflation due to rising spare parts prices and workshop wages. The average of insured damage from storms and hail in motor insurance reached 4,100 euros, the third highest value since 1984. This shows that climate change also affects everyday costs.

Climate change and its consequences

In its natural hazards report, the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) warns of the increasing dangers caused by climate change. As the report's data shows, extreme weather events such as floods and storms impact not only the insurance industry, but also infrastructure and society as a whole. It is predicted that damage from climate change impacts could at least double by 2050. Also GDV highlights that this should be an urgent appeal to everyone to take bold measures to adapt to the new climatic conditions.

Politicians are increasingly discussing possible compulsory insurance for natural hazards. But, as GDV officials emphasize, such legislation alone is not enough. An adjustment to building regulations is also required in order to minimize future damage.

The situation clearly shows that climate change is active on many fronts and we are all called upon to respond to it. Anyone who thinks these topics only affect you marginally could quickly be in for an unpleasant surprise. We can only hope that both politics and society will soon find a good hand in dealing with these challenges!