Steve Bowen

A "1-in-300 year" rainfall (0.3% annual chance of occurrence) in parts of southern #Thailand has resulted in some of the country's most extensive flooding since 2011. Nearly 1 million homes have been affected.

The same weather pattern has prompted major flooding in parts of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Year-to-date economic losses from a very active year of tropical cyclones and floods in #Vietnam are approaching USD3.5 billion. Per the Vietnamese government, this puts 2025 just behind 2024 as the costliest on a nominal basis in the last two decades.

Insurance Catastrophe declared for SEQ hailstorms The Insurance Council of Australia has declared an Insurance Catastrophe for the strong winds and damaging hail that impacted South East Queensland between Sunday 23 November to Monday 24 November.

ICYMI: Significant hailstorms have impacted southeast Queensland in #Australia; notably around the greater Brisbane metro region. Hailstones up to 14 cm (5.5 in) were recorded.

Insured losses minimally expected into the hundreds of millions (USD).

insurancecouncil.com.au/resource/ins...

Catastrophic flooding continues in central #Vietnam following a stretch of relentless rain. Some areas have seen 1.9 meters (74.8 inches) of rain in the past week.

- 102+ people dead / missing
- 200,000+ homes damaged
- 492,000+ acres of crops damaged

Initial damage cost listed at ~USD500 million.

I've probably seen 100 games here in Notre Dame Stadium. This was a new level of first half domination: 49-0.

FYI: Jeremiyah Love is the most explosive offensive player I've seen for ND since Rocket Ismail. Electric every time the ball is in his hands.

While we need to see more urgent progress on climate / sustainability issues (especially GHG emissions), we have to learn to celebrate the wins -- even the minor ones. We've made healthy progress in the last decade.

Much more work to be done. No time for complacency.

One of the best parts of having young kids is that they tell EVERYONE that it's your birthday. Then they yell out your age and end with "that's so crazy that he's so old."

Glad the school bus driver and I could share that awkward moment at 7:18AM this morning.

✓ Increasingly expensive disaster costs
✓ Higher reinsurance pricing (insurance for insurers)
✓ Insurers reassess their portfolio exposure / raise premiums
✓ Replacement costs rise
✓ More people move to high-risk areas
✓ Home values decline

...and more.

The link? Growing risks from climate change.

Absolutely magical and stunning view of the Northern Lights from my front lawn tonight in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

Science. The best.

If you live in a 100-year flood zone, here are the probabilities of experiencing a flood during the life of your hypothetical mortgage:

15 years: 14%
30 years: 26%
50 years: 40%

Plus, more years of mandated flood insurance premiums -- though you should buy it regardless of the lender requirement!

November 9/10: Rather exceptional snowfall forecast here in the greater Chicago metro region, including northwest Indiana. Very dangerous driving conditions given snowfall rates could be 3+ inches per hour (plus 30 mph winds). Locations just miles apart could see dramatically different snow totals.

November 6: #Fung-wong is very quickly organizing as it heads towards the Philippines. This could be a very powerful typhoon as it heads through the archipelago.

Parts of the Philippines are still in early stages of recovery following catastrophic flooding from #Kalmaegi.

This doesn't get as much attention as it should, but the state of Texas has substantially increased its share of electricity sourcing from wind and solar.

Per ERCOT: Here's a look of its current generation mix by type for today (Nov 6) and its monthly capacity.

Change is happening. We need more.

Many parts of the world have successfully translated investment into renewable energy as the dominant provider of electricity for its citizens. This is the way.

Climate slips down the agenda, but insurers warn it's the "risk that amplifies all others" Polycrisis pressures have pushed this exposure down the corporate priority list

I'll keep repeating this truth. There are few industries that understand the complex realities of how climate change is affecting the world today more than insurance.

Physical risk. Non-physical risk. Liability risk. Reputational risk. Etc.

We see it.

www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/brea...

Typhoon Kalmaegi headed to Vietnam after causing catastrophic flash flooding in the Philippines. Parts of Vietnam have dealt with exceptional flooding from storms since September. Those flood damage costs are estimated beyond $2.04 billion.

Yet another storm (Fung-wong) on deck for the Philippines.

REMINDER: An "insured loss" is simply the portion of economic loss costs from an event that is covered by insurance. It is not an added loss value on top of an economic loss.

Seeing multiple news agencies interchangeably refer to an insured loss estimate as a total economic loss. Incorrect.

a man wearing a helmet and scarf stands in front of a crowd of people ALT: a man wearing a helmet and scarf stands in front of a crowd of people

That was the Bearsiest Bears game in the history of Bearsing that I've ever seen as a Bears fan.

Important article on the incredibly complex and nearly impossible tightrope walk for the California insurance market with the wildfire peril.

One correction is needed. Traditional catastrophe models now allowed to be used for pricing are NOT climate change models.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/u...

Sports. The creator of irrational highs and lows. Can't get enough!

Every Halloween, this is apparently the scariest thing in the neighborhood. Without fail, at least one person stops and asks if this 'thing' is invading people's privacy.

The look of bewilderment when it's revealed that this is a weather station never ceases to be hilarious. 😂

Not that I've seen from a modeling perspective. But given video of the devastation, it is obvious that impacts to utilities is extensive and will take a massive effort to fully get back online.

Despite the >$220mn in quick insurance help, it will only be a fraction of the totality of economic damage in Jamaica. The expectation is losses into the billions (USD).

Too few homes and businesses on the island have insurance. If they do, it is not enough insurance to cover all losses.

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#Melissa: Jamaica will receive an insurance payment of $70.8mn from its policy through the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF); a record for the program. Combined with the expected full $150mn payout from Jamaica's catastrophe bond, this will be important liquidity.

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More than 120,000 homes already flooded in central Vietnam as the Bo River (in Hue) and the Thu Bon River (in Da Nang) have exceeded historical flood levels.

Heavy rains expected thru November 4.

FYI: Sept/Oct flood events had already caused >USD1.4bn in damage.

dmc.gov.vn/bai-viet/mie...

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ICYMI: Staggering rainfall in Vietnam in the past week. Bach Ma mountain near Hue City recorded a one-day rainfall of 1,740 mm (68.50 in). This is unofficially the second highest 24-hour rainfall ever recorded globally.

Record: 1,825 mm / 71.85 in La Réunion; January 7-8, 1966

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Thanks to @afreedma.bsky.social for the inclusion in this piece. An honor to share quotes with some of the biggest titans in tropical cyclone research.

Very helpful additional context. Thank you. Tough situation following any catastrophe event in the Caribbean, but this is a particularly difficult one.

Received a few questions regarding insurance in Jamaica. Roughly 20% of residential properties currently have insurance. However. Of that ~20%, a remarkable 95% of those properties are "underinsured" -- or not insured for the full value of their home. #Melissa

jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news...

October 28 12:45pm ET: #Melissa in the process of coming ashore. Very concerned about Montego Bay getting into the eyewall. The whole island right now is taking the worst of what Melissa was going to bring: exceptional winds, blinding heavy rainfall, and extensive coastal storm surge.