Gallagher Bassett, a global claims and risk management provider operating across the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and Australia, has highlighted how changing weather patterns are contributing to higher costs and increasingly complex property claims within loss adjusting.
Traditionally, insurers and loss adjusters were able to rely on seasonal patterns, regional risk profiles and established operational approaches to plan claims response with a reasonable degree of certainty. Gallagher Bassett notes that this predictability is now weakening.
As a result, weather-related events are not only increasing claim volumes but are also contributing to higher repair costs, more involved technical assessments and additional pressure on loss adjusting capacity.
Neil Mather, Head of Internal Operations within Gallagher Bassett’s Europe, Middle East & Asia loss adjusting division, said the sector is seeing a sustained increase in weather-driven claims linked to more frequent and less predictable events.
“A single claim may involve storm damage combined with flood ingress, or a lightning strike resulting in fire-related losses. 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.”
Gallagher Bassett emphasises that the combination of higher claim volumes, increased complexity and surge demand is placing pressure on the wider insurance market. As climate and catastrophe risks intensify, insurers are adjusting how they assess and price exposure. The organisation points to its The Carrier Perspective: 2026 Claims Insights report, which found that 57% of UK insurers are enhancing risk assessment and modelling, with the same proportion increasing premium rates.
“These are not marginal adjustments,” added 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.”
In response to these pressures, Gallagher Bassett has developed an integrated field and desk adjusting model designed to enable flexible deployment of resources in line with demand. The company has also increased its use of data-led decision making, validation processes and real-time management information to support prioritisation during periods of high activity.
The organisation states that its operating model is intended to address both the financial impact of rising claim volumes and repair complexity, as well as the operational demands created by losses involving multiple causes, suppliers and stakeholder requirements.
“Our response is built around operational agility and control,” said Mather. “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,” he further added. “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, Gallagher Bassett expects weather-related losses to remain a significant factor shaping claims activity and cost. The company anticipates that the future of loss adjusting will involve increased investment in data and analytics, broader use of technology and artificial intelligence, more adaptable catastrophe response structures and closer collaboration across insurers, clients and adjusting partners.
“As weather events drive higher costs and more complex claims, the ability to respond at scale becomes critical. 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.”
Mather concluded that resilience remains central in a changing risk environment. “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.”
