Klimakrise: Versicherer erwarten eher niedrige Naturkatastrophenschäden

Berlin, Germany is experiencing lower-than-average natural disaster damages this year due to the absence of severe winter storms. According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), storms, hail, heavy rain, and flooding caused damages of approximately €950 million in the first half of the year. The association predicts a total of €2 billion for the year, which is €1 billion less than an average year.

However, this does not mean that climate change is not a concern. Jörg Asmussen, the Chief Executive Officer of the GDV, explained, "The low damages in the first half of the year were simply luck, as climate-induced extreme weather events and their resulting damages have been increasing." On average, in a ten-year period, flooding, flash flooding, and dam overflow cause annual damages of €2.4 billion, and in homes, apartments, and businesses.

From 2000 to 2009, average damages were significantly lower at around €1.4 billion. Asmussen added, "This summer's heatwave, with record temperatures, shows that climate change continues to progress." He cautioned, "Single weather events can still cause massive damage at any time."