Wild weather claims triple as storms become near-weekly threat
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Kiwis are being hit by storms at a near-weekly rate, with new insurance data showing a massive surge in claims as severe weather events become more frequent and intense.
Figures released in the AMI, State and NZI Wild Weather Tracker reveal 46 storms swept across the country in the 12 months from autumn 2025 to summer 2026 — triggering 33,174 claims.
That marked a 256% increase on the previous year, when 29 storms resulted in 9,324 claims.
The figures come after two weeks of severe weather with Cyclone Vaianu in the north and flooding around Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Manawatū-Whanganui over the weekend and more rain still to come.
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AMI, State and NZI chief executive Phil Gibson said the numbers point to a clear shift in both the frequency and severity of weather events.
“Simply put, our data indicates that storms are arriving more often and with greater intensity,” he said.
Historically, a storm would impact parts of the country about once every 19 days over a 15-year period. In the past year, that has more than doubled to once every eight days.
The trend has been underscored by recent events, including Cyclone Vaianu, which has so far generated more than 890 claims across home, contents, commercial, motor and boat insurance.
“Recently, Cyclone Vaianu has been another stark reminder of how vulnerable New Zealand is to wild weather,” he said.
Most claims have been linked to roof leaks, fallen trees and broken windows, with the east of the North Island particularly affected.
It also highlighted the country’s exposure to extreme weather, Gibson said.
The data also showed a shift in when storms are striking. Traditionally concentrated in cooler months, 61% of storms in the past year occurred during spring and summer.
Gibson said the change points to increasingly volatile weather patterns and the need for year-round preparedness.
“As severe weather events become more frequent, we’re also seeing a shift in seasonal storm patterns.”
Alongside the rising number of events, more New Zealanders say they are taking steps to protect their homes. A nationwide survey commissioned for the tracker found 80% of respondents had taken measures to mitigate natural hazards — up from 40% before Cyclone Gabrielle.
Despite that, the impact of extreme weather was being widely felt. Three in five people reported being affected by natural hazards, disrupting work, travel, caregiving and daily routines.
We are also feeling more anxious about severe weather events, with nearly 60% of respondents reporting anxiety about storm-related risks — a 10%increase.
When asked which hazards New Zealanders had experienced the most anxiety over, respondents ranked storms, earthquakes, and floods the highest.
Gibson said the findings reflected growing public awareness of climate-related risks and strong support for action.
A separate climate poll found 90% of New Zealanders expect storms to become more frequent and severe, while more than three-quarters want greater investment in risk reduction and resilience.
“If we want to keep people protected, councils, government and insurers must work together to address the underlying risks. We can do it. It simply requires making risk reduction a priority and collective, timely and coordinated action from all of us.
He said ultimately, reducing natural hazard risk was the fairest and most durable way to keep insurance affordable and available to as many New Zealanders as possible.