Insurance Council of Australia - Historical disaster statistics

The data in the table below is derived from the submissions of general insurance companies following large events incurring cost to the community and insurers. It does not represent the entire cost of the event, it is only a  approximation of the insured loss based upon reported data. The final loss figure for an event can take many years to resolve. Events are only recorded where there is a potential for the insured loss to exceed $10mil. Additionally, many large single losses occur on a day to day basis in Australia that are not part of a larger catastrophe event.

With regard to large single losses not captured by the table below, Munich Reinsurance Group (Australasia) has complied a report titled “Summary of Australian & New Zealand Major Property Losses by Industry Type 2004 – 2008” which adds substantially to the data available on major losses for research purposes. It is important to note that these statistics are only for individual property losses in excess of A$1mil for Australian losses and NZ$500,000 for New Zealand losses. major natural catastrophe results are not included except for some individual claims in excess of A$1mil and that these statistics represent an estimated 85% of the market only – direct insurers are encouraged to contribute data on large single losses where they consider it appropriate to do so. The Insurance Council wishes to acknowledge the contribution made by the Munich Reinsurance Group in Australasia for allowing the referencing of their research.

Event	Catastrophe Number if declared	Date dd/mm/yy	Location	State	Original Cost ($mil)	2007 Repeated Cost  ($mil)
Toodyay Bushfires	CAT 096	31122009	Toodyay WA	WA	7.4
NSW & QLD Inundation & Storm Damage	CAT 09/5	21052009	South East Queensland & Northern NSW	QLD/NSW	48	•
NSW Flooding	CAT 09/4	01042009	Northern NSW	NSW	37	•
Victorian fires	CAT 09/2 & 09/3	07022009	Statewide	VIC	1070	•
FN Qld floods	CAT 09/1	13012009	Far North Queensland	QLD	19	•
Brisbane storms	CAT 08/5	16112008	Brisbane	QLD	309	•
WA Gas Supply Disruption	CAT 08/4		Western Australia	WA	230	•
Wind Storm	CAT 08/3	020408	SA, TAS & VIC	SA/TAS/VIC	65	•
Flood Storm	CAT QLD 08/2	140208	Mackay	QLD	410	•
Flood Storms	CAT QLD 08/1	170108	Emerald	QLD	70	•
Flood Storm	CAT NSW 08/1	040108	Northern Rivers	NSW/QLD	15	•
Severe Hailstorms	CAT NSW 07/6	091207	Western Sydney, Blacktown	NSW	415	•
Severe Storms	CAT NSW 07/5	261007	Lismore Region	NSW	4	•
Hail Storm	CAT NSW 07/4	091007	Lismore Region	NSW/QLD	97	•
Severe Storm	CAT NSW 07/1	150107	Nyngan NSW	NSW	2	•
Severe Storm	CAT NSW 07/2	160107	Wagga Wagga NSW	NSW	4	•
Cyclone George & Jacob	Not available		George & Jacob - Pilbara WA	WA	8	•
Severe Storm	CAT NSW 07/3	080607-100607	Newcastle & Hunter Valley	NSW	1480	•
Severe Storm	CAT VIC 07/1	160607	Gippsland VIC	VIC	15	•
Bushfire	CAT VIC 06/1	20106	North, West & East VIC	VIC	22.4	•
Cyclone LARRY	CAT QLD 06/1	200306	Larry - North QLD	QLD	540	•
Storm	Not available	070806	Sth West WA	WA	5.2	•
Hail	CAT NSW 06/1	311006	Newcastle & Lower Hunter Valley	NSW	51	•
Bushfire	CAT VIC 06/1	1206	Widespread	VIC	14	•
Bushfire	CAT SA 05/1	110105	Eyre Peninsula	SA	27.7	30
Hail, Storm	CAT VIC 05/1	020205	Eastern Seaboard	NSW/TAS/VIC	216.7	238
Storm	CAT WA 05/1	160505	Bunbury, Sth Perth	WA	53.2	60
Hail		190505	Brisbane	QLD	17.6	20
Flood, Storm	CAT QLD 05/1	300605	SE	QLD	53.9	62
Flood, Storm	CAT NSW 05/2	300605	NE	NSW	25	29
Hail	CAT QLD 05/2	121005	Gold Coast	QLD	61	70
Flood, Storm	CAT NSW 05/3	061105	Broken Hill	NSW	4	4
Flood, Storm	CAT NSW 05/4	071105	Central West NSW	NSW	3	3
Hail	CAT QLD 04/1	240104	Brisbane, SE, SW	QLD	28.5	35
Storm	Not available	290104	Melbourne	VIC	18	22
Hail, Storm	CAT NSW 04/1	131204	Sydney & Lismore	NSW	32.3	39
Storm	Not available	131204	Brisbane, Gold Coast	QLD	3.5	4
Tsunami	Not available	261204	South East Asia		3	3
Bushfire	CAT ACT 03/1	180103	Canberra	ACT	350	467
Bushfire	CAT VIC 03/1	080103	Eastern Border Region	NSW/VIC	12	16
Storm	CAT VIC 03/2, NSW 03/1	240803		NSW/VIC/TAS	25	33
Storm	Not available	160102	Coastal Border	NSW/QLD	10	18
Storm	Not available	160202	Sydney	NSW	10	15
Bushfire	Not available	081002	Engadine & Glenorie	NSW	25	36
Storm	Not available	101202	South East	QLD	3.4	6
Storm	Not available	241202	South East	QLD	2	3
Storm	CAT NSW 01/1	060101	Dubbo	NSW	15	25
Storm	Not available	150101	Sydney	NSW	12	19
Storm	Not available	170101	Casino	NSW	35	56
Flood, Storm	CAT NSW 01/2	060301	Nth Coast, Grafton, Kempsey	NSW	25	40
Flood, Storm	CAT QLD 01/1	090301	Brisbane	QLD	37	63
Storm, Tornado	CAT NSW 01/3	181101	Sydney & Port Stephens	NSW	30	48
Storm	CAT NSW 01/4	0301201	Sydney & Coast	NSW	30	48
Bushfire	CAT NSW 01/5	251201	Sydney & Surrounds	NSW	69	111
Flood, Storm	Not available	140100	Perth	WA	5	9
Flood, Storm	CAT QLD 00/1	070200	Longreach	QLD	12	19
Cyclone	CAT QLD 00/2	270200	Far Nth	QLD	11	21
Cyclone	CAT WA 00/2	010300	Nth	WA	5	10
Cyclone	Not available	020400	Nth	QLD	15	25
Cyclone	Not available	200400	Nth	WA	8.5	22
Storm	Not available	300900	Vic Peninsula	VIC	2	3
Flood	Not available	171100	Mackay	QLD	5	10
Flood, Storm	CAT QLD 99/1	070299	SE	QLD	2	4
Cyclone	CAT QLD 99/2	120299	Nth	QLD	4	9
Flood	Not available	200399	Moora	WA	4	7
Cyclone	CAT WA 99/1	220399	Exmouth, Onslow	WA	35	66
Hail	CAT NSW 99/1	140499	Sydney	NSW	1700	3300
Storm	Not available	241099	Sydney	NSW	40	78
Flood, Storm	Not available	241099	Wollongong	NSW	5	10
Flood, Storm	Not available	261299		VIC	10	19
Storm	Not available	050198	Nyngan	NSW	12	26
Flood, Storm	CAT 91	100198	Townsville	QLD	71	154
Flood	CAT 92	260198	Katherine	NT	70	163
Storm	Not available	040298	Sydney	NSW	12	26
Flood, Storm	Not available	090498	Sydney	NSW	10	21
Storm	Not available	230698	Hunter Valley	NSW	12	27
Flood	Not available	240698	East Gippsland	VIC	1.3	3
Flood, Storm	CAT 95	170898	Wollongong	NSW	40	87
Storm	CAT 94	060898	Sydney	NSW	10	21
Storm	CAT 97	131098	SE	QLD	23	49
Storm	Not available	141198	Brisbane	QLD	7	16
Flood, Storm	Not available	261298	Melbourne	VIC	10	21
Hail	CAT 98	161298	Brisbane	QLD	76	179
Storm	Not available	310196	Sydney	NSW	14	36
Cyclone	Not available	050496	Pannawonica	WA	2	4
Flood	Not available	030596	SE	QLD	31	87
Storm	CAT 84	310896	Sydney	NSW	10	26
Hail	CAT 85	290996	Armidale & Tamworth	NSW	104	276
Storm	CAT 86	231196	Coffs Harbour	NSW	20	58
Hail	Not available	141196	Tamworth	NSW	10	27
Storm	CAT 87	041296	Brisbane	QLD	0	0
Hail	CAT 88	111296	Singleton	NSW	49	135
Cyclone	Not available	250295	Kalgoolie	WA	11	31
Hail	Not available	061195	SE	QLD	40	130
Storm	Not available	1205	Hunter Valley	NSW	10	31
Bushfire	CAT 81	0194	Eastern Seaboard	NSW	59.1	185
Storm	CAT 81	230594	Perth	WA	37	117
Earthquake	CAT 94	060894	Cessnock	NSW	37.2	112
Storm	CAT 83	201194	Sydney	NSW	29	91
Flood	CAT 79	031093	Benalla & Shepparton	VIC	12	39
Storm	CAT 80	141293	Melbourne	VIC	12	40
Hail	Not available	120292	Sydney	NSW	118	448
Flood, Storm	Not available	0292	Perth	WA	4	15
Storm	Not available	210191	Sydney	NSW	138.4	579
Hail	Not available	240191	Orbost	VIC	12	50
Hail	Not available	220191	Adelaide	SA	30	114
Flood, Storm	Not available	070691	SE	NSW	15	63
Bushfire	Not available	161091	Central Coast	NSW	12	63
Flood	Not available	1291	Melbourne & Ballarat	VIC	24	98
Bushfire	Not available	0190		VIC	10	43
Hail	Not available	070290	Dubbo	NSW	9	46
Cyclone	Not available	030290	Sydney to Brisbane	NSW/QLD	33	330
Hail	Not available	100290	Sydney	NSW	10	46
Hail	Not available	180390	Sydney	NSW	319	1470
Flood	Not available	0490		NSW/QLD	30	163
Storm	Not available	030890	Sydney	NSW	12	55
Flood, Storm	Not available	261290	Rockhampton to Cairns	QLD	32	147
Flood, Storm	Not available	070289	Melbourne	VIC	17	84
Cyclone	Not available	040489	Townsville to Mackay	QLD	26	110
Hail	Not available	161189	Ballarat	VIC	20	104
Earthquake	Not available	281289	Newcastle	NSW	862	4296
Flood	Not available	010488	Alice Springs	NT	10	68
Flood	Not available	300488	Sydney	NSW	25	140
Cyclone	Not available	210588	Carnarvon to Denham	WA	20	131
Storm	Not available	220888	SW	WA	8	46
Flood, Storm	Not available	1188	Melbourne	VIC	11	60
Bushfire	Not available	010287	Southern	TAS	7	36
Flood, Storm	Not available	0787	East Perth	WA	2	13
Flood	Not available	1187	Melbourne	VIC	8	48
Hail	Not available	210186	Orange	NSW	25	181
Cyclone	Not available	010286	Cairns to Ingham	QLD	40	176
Flood, Storm	Not available	050886	Sydney	NSW	35	238
Hail	Not available	031086	Western Sydney	NSW	104	707
Storm	Not available	061286	Adelaide	SA	10	60
Cyclone	Not Available	190384	Borroloola	NT	5	21
Bushfire