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FINWIRES

Insurance Australia Group's IAG New Zealand Says Storm-Related Claims Surge 256%

-- Insurance Australia Group's (ASX:IAG) IAG New Zealand division said Tuesday it received 33,174 weather-related claims between autumn 2025 and summer 2026 as a result of 46 storms during the period.

That represents a 256% increase in storm-related claims compared with the year-ago period, when the company recorded 9,324 claims from 29 storms in New Zealand, and translates into roughly one storm every eight days.

"Simply put, our data indicates that storms are arriving more often and with greater intensity," said Phil Gibson, CEO of IAG New Zealand's AMI, State and NZI insurance brands. He noted that a storm typically affected parts of the country once every 19 days over a 15-year timeline.

The October 2025 windstorm in Southland generated 5,289 claims, the February 2026 storm in Wellington resulted in 3,354 claims, and the April 2025 ex‑tropical cyclone Tam in Auckland generated 3,281 claims, ranking as the the top three storms by claims volume over the past 12 months.

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