The number of insurance claims for wild-weather related damage received by NRMA Insurance between January and May this year has surpassed the total number of wild-weather claims received by it in the full year 2024. New data released by NRMA Insurance said it received more than 32,000 claims for wild weather-related damage between January and May this year.
Research data from the latest edition of the NRMA Insurance Wild Weather Tracker released on 19 June 2025 revealed that a quarter of Australians were affected by extreme weather this year, with communities impacted by cyclones, devasting floods, damaging winds and storms.
In Autumn, NRMA Insurance received 15,840 wild weather claims, largely driven by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred. This was the first cyclone in 50 years to threaten Southeast Queensland and northern NSW and impacted an estimated 4m people across the region.
More than half of the people in Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales surveyed said this was the first time they experienced a cyclone. The NRMA Insurance research revealed 69% of Australians said significant weather events this year had made them more aware and concerned about being impacted by wild weather.
In response, 36% said they are more likely to take proactive steps to protect their home and contents, however, fewer than half of Australians feel prepared to respond in the event of extreme weather.
NRMA Insurance executive general manager claims Luke Gallagher said, “The first half of the year had left many communities severely impacted by extreme weather. This year we have seen cyclones, three floods and two extreme hailstorms in eastern Australia, a drought across southern Australia, as well as a dust storm in South Australia that sent dust as far as Sydney. This has seen us receive more claims for wild weather so far this year than for all of 2024.
“In the first five months of 2025, we have received more than 32,000 wild weather-related claims. 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.”
Millions of Australians had an anxious wait ahead of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which thankfully proved less destructive than predicted. Unfortunately, since then, a significant number of communities have weathered heavy rains and severe floods.
NRMA Insurance meteorologist and senior weather risk analyst Kathryn Turner said, “This winter is expected to be unusually warm, with both day and night-time temperatures to remain above average. A warming climate and increasing sea surface temperatures create more moisture in the atmosphere, which can fuel rainfall and storms. As winter progresses, most of Australia can expect
wetter-than-usual conditions to take hold – especially across the east.”