Climate crisis: Major damage in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg due to extreme weather

The consequences of extreme weather are costing Germany billions. Claims for property and motor insurers alone total €5.7 billion. This is according to an overview from the German Insurance Association (GDV), which was made available to the dpa news agency. The figure is roughly the same as in 2023. More than half of the insured sums affected the two federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where severe flooding occurred a year ago.

The total damage amount is likely to be significantly higher than €5.7 billion, as far from all of it is insured. For last year's floods in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, for example, estimates showed that only about half of the total damage of more than €4 billion was insured.

"Heavy rain events and floods alone cost 2.6 billion euros – about one billion euros more than the long-term average," says GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen (58), referring to insured losses. He also sees the consequences of climate change, which are becoming "increasingly noticeable" in Germany. Damage caused by storms and hail, in contrast, was lower last year.

In motor insurance, claims for natural hazards totaled approximately €1.3 billion – roughly the long-term average. No distinction is made between hail, storms, floods, or other causes.

In a comparison of the federal states, Baden-Württemberg, with €1.601 billion in insured losses, is marginally ahead of Bavaria at €1.600 billion. This is likely due to the fact that natural hazards such as flooding are much more frequently insured in the southwest than in the Free State. It is therefore likely that the highest total losses were likely incurred in Bavaria, although no figures are available.

• The third highest insured losses hit North Rhine-Westphalia with 613 million euros – here the main causes were storms and hail.

• The same applies to Lower Saxony , where 313 million were incurred.

• In Hesse there were 252 million, in Saarland 171 million and in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony 166 million each.

• The lowest damage occurred in Bremen with 17 million.

• The other city-states also got off relatively lightly: in the case of Berlin it was 39 million euros and in the case of Hamburg 67 million euros.

• This also applies to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , where the second lowest damage was reported at 34 million euros.

Overall, the €5.7 billion in damages nationwide is rather high compared to long-term averages. "The figures speak clearly: climate change adaptation must be a priority for the new federal government," says GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen (58). "Compulsory insurance alone will not prevent damage. What we need is a comprehensive natural hazards concept that includes not only an insurance solution but also preventive measures. This is the only way to create long-term security in the face of climate change – for people and for municipal infrastructure."

At least mandatory insurance for residential buildings is expected to come into effect before the end of this legislative period, as Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (56; SPD) told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. "Climate change is progressing, and without better insurance coverage, it will not be possible in the future."