Insured losses from October storms in Australia’s east will reach $1.11 billion, Swiss-based catastrophe data company Perils estimates.

The severe convective storms hit Queensland, NSW and Victoria from October 26 to November 1. The Insurance Council of Australia declared them a significant event and says there have been 28,600 claims.

The Perils loss total covers property and motor hull lines of business.

Head of Asia-Pacific Darryl Pidcock says there has been an increase in the frequency of severe convective storm activity in southeast Queensland.

Perils is assessing a similar event in the Brisbane area late last month, and these follow severe convective storms in December 2023 and October 2020.

In the spring event, the biggest impact was on October 26 in the Brisbane area, while a tornado brought destruction to the western suburbs of Melbourne.  

Another round of storms on October 31 and November 1 hit southeast Queensland and NSW.

The impacts included hail-struck vehicles, smashed windows, shattered solar panels and roof damage.

Perils will update its estimate of the market loss in February.

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