NRMA Insurance, a division of Insurance Australia Group (IAG), has renewed its partnership with the South Australian State Emergency Service (SA SES) for another three years, with the aim of broadening community disaster preparedness initiatives throughout South Australia.
The agreement is intended to enhance the reach of educational programs in areas identified as high risk for severe weather events.
Chris Beattie, chief officer of SA SES, said the continued backing from NRMA Insurance will allow the agency to extend its engagement with communities across the state.
“As we face more frequent and severe weather events, the work of SA SES in emergency recovery and disaster resilience education is more important than ever,” he said.
He explained that while progress has been made, further efforts are needed to raise awareness and preparedness among residents.
“We are delighted that NRMA Insurance is continuing its support of the SES in South Australia, helping boost our crucial community education volunteer base and further amplifying our local community education initiatives,” Beattie said.
The partnership has already resulted in the recruitment and training of more than 80 community education volunteers.
A joint campaign on storm preparedness led to 59% of surveyed South Australians reporting they know how to prepare for extreme weather, and the SES Storm information page received over 21,000 visits.
Beattie noted that the collaboration demonstrates the role corporate support can play in strengthening local emergency services.
In the most recent financial year, the SES handled nearly 8,200 requests for assistance, marking an increase of over 10% from the previous year.
Despite these initiatives, findings from the NRMA Insurance Wild Weather Tracker indicate that 47% of South Australians do not feel ready for severe weather in their area, and only 36% took steps to prepare for wild weather in the last season.
Jennifer Cobley, executive manager community impact at NRMA Insurance, said: “We know that helping communities better prepare for severe weather has a real impact when it comes to safety and reducing damage. As an insurer, we have a unique view of local risk and when combined with the knowledge and resources of the SA SES, we can make an even greater impact by delivering targeted support to educate and empower communities to prepare for and withstand extreme weather events.”
The renewed partnership comes as IAG chair Tom Pockett highlighted increasing cost pressures on insurers due to more frequent and severe weather events, as well as higher reinsurance costs and concerns about insurance affordability.
Speaking at the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Climate Governance Forum, Pockett said that since 2020, Australia has experienced 14 declared catastrophes and eight other major weather events, resulting in $22.5 billion in insured losses – a 67% rise compared to the previous five-year period.
He reported that Australian insurers issued 86 million policies and paid out $50 billion in claims last financial year, with $22 billion related to home and motor insurance.
He also referenced global figures, noting catastrophe losses reached $100 billion in the first half of 2025, up from $71 billion a year earlier.
A Willis report projects that insured losses from natural catastrophes will again exceed $100 billion globally this year, continuing a seven-year trend.
