Hailstorms cause insured damage of almost one billion francs

On the morning of 28 August 2026, an unusually powerful thunderstorm cell moved from the Jura arc across the Swiss Plateau and into Eastern Switzerland. The cantons particularly affected were Bern, Solothurn, Aargau, Zurich and Thurgau. In some places, hailstones up to five centimetres in diameter fell, along with severe storm gusts that caused substantial damage to vehicles, buildings and other property. The estimated total insured loss, at just under one billion francs, is twice as high as that of the last major hail event on 25 August 2023 in Ticino.

Over 100,000 damaged vehicles

According to initial estimates, more than 80 percent of the insured loss relates to motor vehicles. In total, more than 100,000 vehicles are likely to have been affected by hail. Around ten percent of the estimated total privately insured loss relates to natural hazard damage, which is covered via the Swiss natural hazards pool. This pool includes the most important private insurers operating in Switzerland. The remaining losses concern other lines of insurance, including business interruption and other supplementary covers. "The extent of the damage is considerable. At the same time, the event shows that the Swiss insurance system also works in major events and is of great importance to the national economy. Insurers support those affected quickly and straightforwardly in dealing with the damage," says Eduard Held, Managing Director of the Swiss natural hazards pool.

Interplay between building and private insurers

Private insurers cover damage to motor vehicles, household contents and personal effects, as well as other privately insured risks. Immediately after the event, they made additional resources available for claims handling. To ensure efficient processing, drive-ins were set up, among other measures, to assess damaged vehicles. Many claims can now be reported and assessed digitally, which speeds up processing and enables rapid support for those affected.

In seven cantons, buildings are insured with private insurers; in the remaining cantons, with cantonal monopoly institutions. The cantons affected by the hail event are predominantly those with a monopoly institution. Building damage incurred there is recorded separately by the cantonal building insurers and is not included in the present estimate.The latest hail event on the Swiss Plateau shows how important robust insurance structures arefor the population and the economy: they enable rapid assessment of damage even in major events and provide broad coverage of the financial consequences.