320% Increase in major UK storms

from (2010 -2014) to (2015-2020)

Usgs.gov data has recently highlighted that the increase in global temperatures will impact the intensity of storms and the possibility of more droughts in the future. 

With this in mind, home insurance experts Swinton Insurance have researched into the increases of major storms over the past 10 years, revealing some significant findings.

Key Findings

  • 320% increase in major UK storms from the years (2010-2014) [10 storms] to (2015-2020) [42 storms]

  • 2019-2020 saw a YOY 100% increase in storms with the possibility of that increasing before the years out

  • £4.8 Billion in total costs of damage to the UK in the last 10 years

  • Total of 78 recorded fatalities in the last 10 years

 

storms-graph

 

2010 - 2014

Year

Name

Fatality

Cost of damage

Location of worst affected areas

2010

Heavy rainfall and flooding in Cornwall (PDF 297KB)

0

-

 

2011

Hurricane Katia

4

£100M

 

2011

Early winter storms (PDF 591KB)

0

-

 

2012

Winter storms (PDF 958KB)

0

-

 

2012

Exceptionally wet weather

0

-

 

2012

Record rainfall (PDF 631KB)

0

-

 

2013

Autumn storm (PDF 556KB)

0

-

 

2013

Winter storms (PDF 1.8MB)

0

-

 

2014

Winter storms (PDF 2.3MB)

0

-

 

2014

Hurricane Bertha (PDF 916KB)

12

88,600,000.00

 

2011-2020

 

Year

Name

Fatality

Cost of damage

Location of worst affected areas

2015

Storm Desmond

3

500,000,000.00

Cumbria

2015

Storm Abigail

0

80,000,000

Outer Hebrides

2015

Storm Eva

0

2,000,000,000

Gwynedd

2015

Storm Clodagh

0

8,000,000

South Yorkshire

2015

Storm Frank

3

280,000,000

Outer Hebrides

2015

Storm Barney

0

1600000

North Wales

2016

Storm Henry

0

-

Outer Hebrides

2016

Storm Imogen

0

80,000,000

Isle of Wight

2016

Storm Angus

2

73,000,000

Dorset

2016

Storm Gertrude

0

80000

Edinburgh

2016

Storm Conor

0

-

Shetland

2016

Storm Barbara

0

-

Shetland Islands

2016

Storm Jake

0

-

Devon

2016

Storm Doris

3

400,000,000.00

Capel Curig

2016

Storm Katie

0

-

Isle of Wight

2017

Storm Caroline

1

-

Cairngorm Summit

2017

Storm Aileen

3

-

Isle of Wight

2017

Storm Dylan

0

-

Grampian

2017

Storm Ewan

0

-

Conwy

2017

Storm Brian

0

-

Isle of Wight

2017

Ex-Hurricane Ophelia

3

-

Ireland

2018

Storm Hector

0

-

Forth and Tay bridges

2018

Storm Ali

2

£250,000,000

County Down

2018

Storm Eleanor

6

£650,000,000

Cumbria

2018

Storm Deirdre (PDF 2.4MB)

0

-

Aberdaron

2018

Storm Bronagh

2

£7,900,000

Isle of Wight

2018

Storm Callum

0

£16,000,000

Capel Curig

2018

Storm Fionn (F-yunn)

0

-

Galway

2018

Storm David

0

-

Capel Curig

2018

Storm Georgina

0

-

Western Isles

2019

Storm Erik

3

-

Capel Curig

2019

Storm Freya

2

-

Swansea

2019

Storm Hannah

5

-

Aberdaron

2019

Storm Gareth

0

-

Donegal

2020

Storm Francis

-

-

Cardiff

2020

Storm Brendan

0

-

Scotland’s mountain summits

2020

Storm Atiyah

0

-

Isle of Wight

2020

Storm Ellen

4

9,000,000

Pembrey Sands

2020

Storm Dennis

7

180,000,000

Aberdaron

2020

Storm Jorge (PDF 1.6MB)

0

-

Aberdaron

2020

Storm Ciara

13

180,000,000

Cumbria

2020

Storm Alex

-

-

 
 

(Total Storms) 52

(Total Fatalities) 78

(Total Cost Of Damage) £4.8 Billion

 
     

Swinton Insurance states that the cost of storm damage to homes and businesses every year in the UK is at least £300 million, on average. But, in years when exceptional storms hit, the cost can be much higher. With this in mind, it’s important to storm proof your home by making sure the following advice is taken into consideration. 

  • Check your roof for any signs of ageing, such as cracks or misaligned tiles.

  • Keep gutters, drainpipes and drains clear of blockages - this will ensure rainwater has somewhere to go and is less likely to build into a flood.

  • Check the condition of trees close to your home and consider removing any that could potentially fall onto your house or car.

  • Check the condition of trees close to your home and consider removing any that could potentially fall onto your house or car.

  • If you're in a flood risk area, consider taking out home insurance that covers you against floods and storms.

Find out more about Home Insurance from Swinton...

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