Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred accounted for nearly half of the 32,000-plus wild weather-related home and motor damage claims lodged with NRMA Insurance in the first five months of the year.

The IAG brand says the January-May figure surpassed its wild weather claims tally for all of last year, as the eastern states endured a rough few months.

“This year we’ve seen cyclones, three floods and two extreme hailstorms in eastern Australia, a drought across southern Australia, as well as a dust storm in SA that sent dust as far as Sydney,” NRMA Insurance EGM of claims Luke Gallagher said.

“The data confirms what we already knew: wild weather is increasing in severity and frequency and the impacts on people and communities have been devastating.”

While Alfred was less destructive than predicted, “unfortunately, since then, a significant number of communities have weathered heavy rains and severe floods”.

NRMA’s autumn Wild Weather Tracker, released today, says the insurer received 15,840 claims for damage to homes and vehicles in the period. Home cover accounted for 14,453 and motor 1387.

NSW and Queensland were the hardest-hit states, producing 7697 and 6961 claims respectively. The ACT had 118 claims, SA 206, and WA 839.

The tracker monitors severe weather claims in every state and territory except Victoria, where IAG products are distributed under the RACV brand.

From the latest Insurance News magazine: Find out just how close the east coast came to disaster when Cyclone Alfred swept ashore