In our defence, we think that lately we’ve had good reason to indulge in the most British of pastimes; not least because the subject has been all over the news and on the lips of most of the country at some point over the last month.

From far-flung drought-related emergencies like the LA wildfires, to the too-close-for-comfort violence of Storm Éowyn at the end of January, the wrath of Mother Nature has been in hideous effect for what feels like months.

And it ain’t over yet. In the 2023/24 storm season (the storm season runs from September to the end of August), there were 12 named storms – those considered sufficiently significant are given a name to help Government and meteorologists communicate their potential impact to the public – making it the stormiest season since 2015/16. So far this season, we’ve had five.

For insurers, increased frequency and severity of weather-related events tends to mean more claims and more payouts. In turn that can mean an upwards pressure on insurance premiums across the board as insurers try to mitigate and recover their losses.

You can read more about why this happens in this article, and get some advice about flooding-related insurance in this one. But of course, for bespoke advice for your own business or personal insurance, speak to your usual Blackford contact, or email info@blackfordinsurance.com.

Stay safe out there.