Storm Éowyn: The most disruptive storm to hit Scotland in a generation

Storm Éowyn, the fifth storm of the 2024/25 season, has rewritten the record books, leaving a trail of destruction across Scotland and beyond. With commercial properties disproportionately affected and claims reaching record highs, insurers and loss adjusters are grappling with a scale of damage not seen in decades. Peter Farrelly, COO of Sedgwick, breaks it down: 

Storm Éowyn, the fifth storm of the 2024/25 season, has been classified as an ‘extremely powerful and record-breaking extratropical cyclone’. In Scotland, it was the biggest storm seen locally in over twenty years, making it a once-in-a-generation event. Incoming claims volumes peaked last Tuesday at three times business as usual levels, and work is still coming in. The destructive impact of this storm was intensified by its path, which tore across the central belt of the country, where 80% of the population resides.  

An unprecedented impact on commercial properties 

Another striking difference between Storm Éowyn and previous storms in Scotland is the high proportion of commercial properties affected. Typically, the ratio of domestic to commercial claims during such events is around 5:1. However, we are currently recording a ratio of 1.5:1, so the impact on commercial properties is well beyond anything we’ve seen previously. 

We are actively managing a large number of major losses caused by Storm Éowyn, with costs averaging between £3 and £4 million. We have also received numerous losses relating to roof damage, particularly involving the flat-profile metal sheeting used on more modern buildings.  

A few other notable major losses include:  

• Large sections of the roof were lifted off a substantial hotel, blocking a busy road 
• External cladding detached from a managed office services building, shutting the expressway in Glasgow 
• Despite being only three years old, a leisure centre located on the coast had approximately 60% of its standing seam aluminium roof system and insulation torn off the premises.
• A steel weathervane and stonework from the top of a 40-metre-high church steeple were blown down, crashing through the roof of the main building, which has been converted into flats.  Approximately 24 premises were then evacuated amid ongoing safety concerns. 

Housing Association claims and local authority challenges 

We have also seen a significant number of claims from landlords with large property portfolios, particularly concerning roof damage to blocks of flats. Local authority risk managers report thousands of claims for Housing Association stock, stating that the damage caused by Storm Éowyn is the worst they’ve ever seen. In some instances, multiple losses are reported under a single claim, and potentially hundreds of properties could be involved. So, in reality, overall claim numbers are substantially higher than first estimates. 

Storm comparisons and insurance industry implications 

Across the UK, Storm Éowyn has created more than double the volume of claims compared to Storm Darragh in December. In Ireland, 95% of reported losses from Storm Éowyn are attributed to wind damage and 5% to flooding. However, the claims’ values are much higher than usual – twice that of Storm Darragh, for example. There are also increased numbers of large losses, which is a good indication of the ferocity of the storm.  

In contrast, Storm Bert, which primarily affected Wales and the South of England in November, generally resulted in 70% wind damage claims and 30% for flooding. Storm Darragh, on the other hand, was more widespread, generating twice the volume of claims as Bert, with a damage ratio of 95% wind to 5% flood.  

Repairing flood-damaged properties tends to be significantly more expensive than typical repairs for wind damage. So, even though Storm Bert resulted in fewer claims than Storm Darragh, the higher proportion of flood claims made it a costlier event for the insurance industry. 

Looking ahead: what next for the storm season?  

Ten named storms impacted the UK in the 2023/24 season – six were severe and resulted in significant claims volumes. Although the 2024/25 storm season has not been on the same scale to date, claims levels are expected to be similar over the coming months.  

With claims volumes still rising and insurers bracing for more turbulent weather, Storm Éowyn underscores the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events. As the 2024/25 season unfolds, the industry must prepare for further challenges, from rising repair costs to the potential long-term impact on underwriting strategies. 

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