Sharanjit Paddam, who spearheaded the report at the Actuaries Institute, highlights a troubling trend: home insurance premiums are outpacing wage growth. The median premium for home insurance has soared by 9% in just one year, squeezing household budgets tightly.
One significant driver of these rising premiums, according to Paddam, is the increasingly evident impact of climate change. Extreme weather events, such as devastating bushfires and severe floods, have heightened the risk associated with insuring homes, prompting insurers to hike their prices.
Some households are responding to these changes by searching for cost-saving measures, such as increasing their deductibles or shopping for cheaper coverage options. However, others find themselves forced to forgo home insurance altogether, exposing them to far greater financial risk in case of disaster.
This trend isn't confined to Australia alone. Similar patterns can be observed globally, where rising natural disasters are causing insurance costs to escalate, putting additional financial strain on families already grappling with stagnant income growth and increasing living expenses.
The Actuaries Institute’s findings underline the pressing need for a multifaceted approach to mitigate the impacts of rising insurance costs. This approach could include:
The issue underscores an essential challenge for policymakers, insurers, and consumers alike. On one end, there's an urgent need to adapt to the financial reality shaped by climate change, and on the other, ensuring that essential services remain accessible without unduly burdening household finances.
Published:Tuesday, 17th Sep 2024
Source: Paige Estritori
| Suncorp Reaches Maximum Reinsurance Retention Following Severe Storms in Queensland and NSW 11 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori Recent supercell thunderstorms in South East Queensland and northern New South Wales have led to a surge in insurance claims, prompting Suncorp to reach its maximum reinsurance retention of $350 million. The insurer has reported over 10,000 claims related to these events, with approximately half pertaining to home damages and the other half to motor vehicles. - read more |
| NTARC Report Identifies Inattention and Speed as Primary Factors in Major Truck Crashes 11 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori The National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) has released its latest Major Incident Investigation Report, highlighting inattention, distraction, and inappropriate speed as the most frequent human factors behind major truck crashes in Australia. While there has been a modest reduction in these incidents compared to previous years, they continue to pose significant risks to road safety. - read more |
| Rising Mental Health Claims Reshape Australia's Insurance Landscape 10 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori The Australian insurance industry is witnessing a significant shift as mental health conditions have become the leading cause of total and permanent disability (TPD) claims. Recent data from the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) indicates that mental health issues now account for nearly one-third of all TPD claims, marking a substantial change in the industry's claim patterns. - read more |
| Australian General Insurers Achieve $6 Billion Profit Amid Fewer Natural Disasters 10 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori In a remarkable turnaround, Australian general insurers have reported a combined profit of $6.1 billion over the past year. This substantial increase is attributed to a period of relative calm in natural catastrophes and robust investment returns. - read more |
| Income Safety Net: How to Choose the Right Income Protection for Your Lifestyle In the face of life's unpredictable twists and turns, few things are as disconcerting as the possibility of suddenly losing your ability to earn an income due to illness. Such events are often unexpected and can have significant financial repercussions that interrupt not only your flow of daily life but also compromise your future plans. - read more
|
| Common Misconceptions About Income Protection Insurance Explained Income protection insurance is a crucial financial safeguard for anyone who relies on their salary to pay the bills. It provides a substitute income if you're unable to work due to illness or injury, ensuring that your financial obligations can still be met when you're not able to earn your usual wage. - read more
|
| Income protection insurance It's trite but true to say that, for most people, their most valuable asset is their ability to earn an income. But how relevant is income insurance to most Australians? - read more
|
| How to Prepare Financially for Unexpected Sickness Life is full of surprises, and unfortunately, not all of them are pleasant. Unexpected sickness can strike anyone at any time, and when it does, it can have a significant impact on your income. Whether it’s a sudden illness, a chronic condition, or an accident, the loss of income can add stress to an already difficult situation. - read more
|