PERILS, a leading catastrophe data company, has published its third assessment of insured market losses stemming from extratropical windstorm Nils, or "Ulrike." This weather event ravaged the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions of southwestern France in mid-February. The current estimate places the total insured market loss at €695 million, marking a notable reduction from the second estimate released in May.
The company initially projected the windstorm's insured losses at €586 million in March. Subsequently, in May, three months following the storm's conclusion, PERILS revised this figure upward by nearly 31% to €767 million. The latest estimate, however, shows a decrease of approximately 9% to €695 million, reflecting a more refined understanding of the damage incurred.
Windstorm Nils, a powerful extratropical cyclone, impacted southwestern France from February 11th to 13th, 2026. Originating over the Atlantic, it traversed the region before moving across the Mediterranean to Corsica. The storm brought a combination of severe winds, heavy precipitation, and riverine floods, alongside significant avalanche risks in the Alps. PERILS' analysis attributes the majority of insured losses to these extreme winds, which disrupted power for around 900,000 homes and damaged thousands of residential and light-construction properties. PERILS is committed to providing a final loss update for Nils on February 13th, 2027, precisely one year after the event concluded.
The meticulous work of catastrophe data aggregators like PERILS provides invaluable insights into the financial impact of natural disasters. These revised estimates underscore the dynamic and complex nature of assessing large-scale damage, allowing for more accurate risk modeling and fostering greater resilience within the insurance and reinsurance sectors. Such data-driven approaches are crucial for navigating the evolving landscape of climate-related risks and ensuring robust financial preparedness.
