Q3 Property Claim Severity Among Highest on Record as Volume Drops
2025 is on track to be the lowest claim volume year in recent history, yet cost management remains critical as severity trends continue to increase, according to Verisk.
2025 is on track to be the lowest claim volume year in recent history, yet cost management remains critical as severity trends continue to increase, according to Verisk.
While storms may not make landfall in the U.S., they are becoming increasingly unpredictable and intensify rapidly, warns the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
For homeowners and business owners, updating their structures comes down to one key question: Is it worth spending the extra money to achieve enhanced building standards.
The vast majority of insurance company executives view severe convective storms (SCS) as the leading threat to their balance sheets, according to a Demex survey.
From hurricanes in the Southeast, wildfires in the West and severe convective storms in between, catastrophes are a defining feature of the current insurance landscape and are changing property insurance.
The U.S. property & casualty insurance industry almost tripled underwriting profitability in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, but catastrophes continue to drive up homeowners premiums.
With ongoing wildfires in the West and an above-average Atlantic hurricane season predicted, it’s essential for independent insurance agents to educate clients on how their policies can cover evacuation-related expenses.
2024 saw the second-highest amount of tornadoes on record and 2025 is predicted to continue above-average activity. One weekend alone in mid-May caused $9 billion-$11 billion in damage.
“Although we may be coming out of one of the most difficult periods in insurance history, some areas might still see increasing premiums for another 12-18 months,” says independent agent Guffy Wright. “Factors like claim volume, social inflation, weather patterns and fraud will continue to play major roles.”
The significant increases were driven by inflation, labor shortages and supply-chain disruptions, according to a Verisk report.