PERILS, an independent insurance data provider, has released its second industry loss estimate for Windstorm Éowyn (also referred to as Gilles).
The storm, which brought severe winds to the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland’s Central Belt between 24 and 25 January 2025, is now estimated to have caused €696mn in insured property losses.
This figure revises the initial estimate of €619mn issued on 10 March 2025, six weeks after the storm.
The updated estimate is based on data from insurers impacted by the event and covers losses across property lines of business.
PERILS plans to publish a further update, including a loss footprint by CRESTA zone and property segments, on 25 July 2025, marking six months after the storm.
Éowyn was an intense extratropical cyclone that produced wind gusts reaching 185 km/h at Mace Head in County Galway, Ireland, and 173 km/h on the Cairnwell mountain in Scotland.
The storm disrupted power for over 1.8mn households and businesses and halted transportation across affected areas.
Reported property damage included structural impacts to buildings and significant damage to leisure facilities, along with non-structural issues such as cladding and tile displacement.
With €696mn in insured losses, Éowyn ranks as the most severe event of the 2024/25 European windstorm season. For Ireland, it represents the largest windstorm-related insurance loss in at least 45 years.
PERILS Product Manager Luzi Hitz noted that the 2024/25 season has been relatively moderate in comparison with prior years.
For instance, Windstorm Ciaran in 2023/24 resulted in €2.067bn in losses, while the 2021/22 season saw the combined impact of Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin reach €3.851bn.
These variations highlight the need for continued preparedness within the insurance sector, as large-scale European windstorms remain capable of producing losses in the tens of billions.
