New report examines the future of disaster insurance in a changing risk environment
2 July 2026Â
A new report developed through a collaboration between the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation (ARPC) and The University of Queensland (UQ) explores the challenges facing disaster insurance and the trade-offs involved in sustaining a more resilient and inclusive insurance system.
The report, Building Resilience: Linking Disaster Insurance and Risk Mitigation for a Sustainable Future, brings together research from Professor Paula Jarzabkowski, Dr Wendy Pham and Dr Katie Meissner, examining how governments, insurers and communities can respond to rising disaster risks, increasing insurance costs and growing protection gaps.
The report examines increasing pressures on disaster insurance systems in Australia and globally, including rising disaster losses, affordability challenges and growing protection gaps. It highlights the importance of maintaining access to sustainable and inclusive insurance to support household wellbeing, community resilience and economic stability.
Drawing on Australian and international experience, the research identifies four interconnected areas that will influence the long-term viability of disaster insurance:
- The balance of risk sharing between the public and private sectors.
- Approaches to insurance pricing, including risk-reflective and solidarity-based models.
- Opportunities to better connect insurance with physical risk reduction and mitigation measures.
- Mechanisms that support continuity of insurance coverage over time.
The report provides a framework for considering the trade-offs involved in these areas and highlights the importance of collaboration between industry, government and consumers in addressing increasingly complex disaster risks and supporting stronger community resilience.
The report was developed as part of a collaborative research initiative between ARPC and UQ. While sponsored and endorsed by ARPC, the findings and insights presented in the report are the result of independent research conducted by UQ researchers
Read the full report on the University of Queensland website.
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