<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Severe hail storms that pummelled </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span>'s south-east and northern </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/new-south-wales" rel="" target="" title="New South Wales"><span>New South Wales</span></a><span> last year left a higher insurance bill than </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/tropical-cyclone-alfred" rel="" target="" title="ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred"><span>ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred</span></a><span>, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has revealed, as it warns </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/war" rel="" target="" title="war"><span>war</span></a><span> in the </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/middle-east" rel="" target="" title="Middle East"><span>Middle East</span></a><span> will only increase the costs associated with repairing and rebuilding homes after extreme weather.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ICA has upped its last total for extreme weather-related insurance losses in 2025 from $3.5 billion to $4.8 billion due to increased costs and further claims being lodged.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The severe storm and hail event in November led to almost 93,000 claims totalling $1.78 billion, including hail damage to cars, glass and roofs, as well as homes inundated with storm water and damage caused by uprooted trees.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-april-21-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/a3b27603-36a5-443f-95e6-016216aef1ad#post=28125bab-cb98-40da-8969-51a008ae3562"><strong><span>Trump administration linked to suspicions of insider trading</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In comparison, Alfred had a higher claims count, at 133,000, but cost around $1.5 billion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Queensland was home to four of the five most expensive extreme weather events, with the North Queensland floods and spring storms in south-east Queensland costing $316 million and $895 million respectively.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While Queensland is no stranger to extreme weather, four severe events impacting a single state in 12 months is significant, with many communities still on the road to recovery,"</span><em><span> </span></em><span>ICA CEO Andrew Hall said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/extreme-weather-pushed-up-national-insurance-bill-again-in-2025-insurance-council-of-australia-queensland-news/c915257f-ea69-43a8-8306-3691b950e42c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The insurance industry is very alive to supply chain challenges and pressures across the construction and transport sectors as a result of ongoing conflict in the Middle East.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The reality is, these cost increases will add to the already stubbornly high price to rebuild and repair homes when they are damaged."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ICA also found across the country, insurers handled almost six times as many claims from extreme weather in 2025 than the year before, costing $4.8 billion in insured losses and a whopping $8.6 billion when adding the wider economic costs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The most effective way to protect communities and ease cost pressures is to build the flood levees, dams and other large-scale infrastructure that keep homes and businesses out of harm's way," Hall said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><strong><span> </span></strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 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