Historically, seasonal surges, regional risk patterns, and established response models allowed insurers as well as loss adjusters to plan with reasonable certainty. Today, predictability is eroding. The result is a claims environment where weather events are not only increasing volume, but also driving higher repair costs, more complex assessments, and greater pressure on loss adjusting resources.
Neil Mather, head of Internal Operations at Gallagher Bassett's Europe, Middle East & Asia Loss Adjusting business, believes the industry is experiencing a sustained rise in weather-related claims, driven by more frequent, intense, and unpredictable events.
"A single claim may involve storm damage combined with flood ingress, or a lightning strike resulting in fire-related losses," said Mather. "Greater complexity changes the operational reality of loss adjusting. It requires more comprehensive technical assessment, closer coordination with supply chain partners and a more agile response model."
The combination of high claims volumes, more complexity, and greater surge in demand is challenging the wider insurance market. As climate and catastrophe scenario risks rise, insurers are refining how they assess, price, and manage risk. According to Gallagher Bassett's The Carrier Perspective: 2026 Claims Insights report, 57% of UK insurers are enhancing risk assessment and modelling, while the same proportion are increasing premium rates.
"These are not marginal adjustments," said Mather. "They show a market recalibrating around a new risk reality. Insurers are becoming more precise in how they price risk, but pricing alone cannot solve the operational challenge. The point of claim, where adjusters must manage cost, is where volatility becomes real for customers."
Our model allows us to deploy resources flexibly when demand shifts, while ensuring claims are assessed accurately, progressed efficiently and managed with level of care our clients expect.
In response, we have adopted an integrated field and desk adjusting model, enabling resources to be deployed flexibly based on demand. Our organisation has also invested in data-led decision making, validation processes, and real-time management information to support prioritisation during surge periods.
Our operating model is designed to address both sides of this challenge: the cost pressure created by higher claim volumes and repair complexity, and the operational complexity of managing losses with multiple causes, suppliers, and client needs.
Mather added: "Our response is built around operational agility and control. Our model allows us to deploy resources flexibly when demand shifts, while ensuring claims are assessed accurately, progressed efficiently and managed with level of care our clients expect.
"At the same time, service cannot be reduced to process alone. Processes provide an important guide, but our people need the flexibility to respond to the situation in front of them. That means clear, one-to-one communication with claimants to understand what matters most."
Looking ahead, weather-related impacts are expected to remain a key driver of claims activity and cost. The future of loss adjusting will be shaped by larger investment in data and analytics, increased use of technology and AI, more flexible catastrophe response frameworks, as well as stronger collaboration between insurers, clients, and adjusting partners.
"As weather events drive higher costs and more complex claims, the ability to respond at scale becomes critical," said Mather. "By drawing on capability across GB's wider global network, including major operations in the US, Australia and Asia, we can create a 24-hour claims operation when demand requires it. That gives clients greater continuity and control during surge periods, while helping ensure complex losses are assessed, prioritised and progressed without unnecessary delay."
In Mather's words, capacity alone isn't enough in an increasingly volatile environment. He said: "Clients want confidence that their loss adjusting partner can respond to challenging conditions with resilience and reliability. Gallagher Bassett is structured to manage volatility, not just react to it. Even in periods of heightened disruption, our focus remains the same: delivering consistent, high-quality claims outcomes with speed, control, empathy and confidence."
Author
Neil Mather
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