Climate Change Threatens Australian Suburbs with Unaffordable Insurance

The information on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider seeking personal advice from a licensed adviser before acting on any information.

Properties identified as high-risk are likely to encounter skyrocketing insurance costs, according to the report commissioned by the Climate Council. Karl Mallon, the founder of Climate Valuation, emphasized the immediacy of the threat posed by climate change, urging decision-makers to address the concerning statistics detailed in the research.

The climate group's modelling identifies 86 suburbs as "critical climate risk zones," wherein 80% to 100% of properties are at risk of becoming financially uninsurable if current trends persist.

The escalating risks and rising cost of insuring these properties underscore the broader financial repercussions of climate change on Australian communities. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has noted that insurers have long cautioned about these escalating risks, tying rising insurance premiums to extreme weather events, which have resulted in $4.5 billion insured costs annually over the past five years. This marks a nearly 70% increase compared to the previous five-year period, with projected costs reaching $35 billion by 2050 if no mitigating actions are undertaken.

The report highlights the potential backlash on the economy if insurance becomes inaccessible, with valuable community resilience being the key to maintaining affordability and availability of coverage.

The ICA advocates for significant investments in resilience and mitigation, such as a proposed $30 billion investment in flood defenses. It also urges the removal of unfair state insurance taxes and the promotion of household resilience measures, which some insurers already incentivize through premium reductions.

Climate Valuation additionally suggests several measures including retrofitting homes, relocating properties in extreme cases, halting development in high-risk areas, and ensuring that new constructions are climate-resilient as per the National Construction Code adaptation. These steps, it argues, would not only protect communities but also relieve pressure on insurance premiums, delivering what they describe as a "double dividend."

The report calls for a comprehensive integration of "climate proofing" into national standards to prevent placing more Australians in harm's way and to foster the development of sustainable, resilient infrastructure.

Published:Thursday, 17th Apr 2025
Author: Paige Estritori

Please Note: We do not endorse any specific products or companies. Some content is sourced from third parties, including press releases, and may not be independently verified for accuracy or completeness.

Share this news item:

Insurance News

Clear

Cyclone Pool Delivers Relief, But Farmers Still Need to Check Cover

30 Jun 2026: Paige Estritori

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s final monitoring report on the cyclone reinsurance pool has delivered a mixed message for rural and regional northern Australia. The pool appears to have helped ease some premium pressure for medium to high cyclone-risk areas, including reductions across home, strata and small business building and contents cover. For farm families and agribusinesses in cyclone-exposed regions, that is welcome news after years of rising costs and limited choice. - read more

Draft Insurance Code Could Lift Claims Standards for Tradies

30 Jun 2026: Paige Estritori

The Insurance Council of Australia’s redrafted General Insurance Code of Practice has moved into consultation, with submissions open until 21 July 2026 and a transition period of around two years expected if the code proceeds. For trade business owners, the headline change is that key insurer commitments are intended to become contractually enforceable, rather than sitting only as industry standards. - read more

Queensland WorkCover Freeze Offers Breathing Room for Tradie Employers

29 Jun 2026: Paige Estritori

Queensland trade businesses have received a welcome measure of cost certainty, with WorkCover Queensland’s average premium rate to remain unchanged for the 2026-27 financial year. The rate will stay at $1.343 per $100 of wages, marking the second consecutive year without an increase. - read more

AI Risk Is Moving From IT Teams to the Boardroom

29 Jun 2026: Paige Estritori

Artificial intelligence is no longer a side project for technology teams. Fresh industry reporting on Clyde & Co’s Corporate Risk Radar 2026 points to a sharp rise in concern among business leaders, with technology risk now being treated as a core governance, regulatory and reputational issue. For Australian consultants, advisers, designers, engineers, accountants, marketers and other professional service providers, that shift has direct implications for risk management and professional indemnity cover. - read more

Vero’s New Strata Product Signals a Shift in How Complex Risks Are Priced

29 Jun 2026: Paige Estritori

Vero has launched a new residential strata insurance product that could prove important for schemes finding it difficult to secure suitable cover, particularly in higher-risk northern markets. The product, introduced on 22 June 2026, is initially available in selected postcodes across Far North Queensland, from Bundaberg North, and Darwin, with a staged national rollout planned over the next year. - read more

Click for more Insurance News