PERILS Raises Windstorm Nils (Ulrike) Insured Loss Estimate 31% to €767m – Southwest France, Feb 2026
Impact Assessment Rationale
Insured losses of €767 million represent a meaningful but regionally contained nat-cat loss for France; significant for European property and reinsurance books but below major catastrophe thresholds. Loss development is ongoing with further upward revision possible.
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Summary
Extratropical windstorm Nils (also known as Ulrike) struck the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions of southwest France from 11–13 February 2026, bringing extreme winds, flooding, and avalanches in the French Alps. PERILS has revised its insured industry loss estimate upward by nearly 31%, from €586 million to €767 million, based on updated claims data from impacted insurers covering property and motor lines. The storm was identified as the largest single event loss of the European windstorm season 2025/26, with wind losses driving the majority of the insured loss. PERILS will publish a further updated estimate on 13 August 2026.
This summary is AI-generated from linked source reports and may change as more information becomes available. See our correction policy for how to report errors.
Structured Intelligence
known
- Windstorm Nils/Ulrike impacted southwest France (Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions) from 11–13 February 2026.
- PERILS revised insured industry loss estimate from €586 million (March 2026 initial estimate) to €767 million, a 31% increase.
- Loss estimate is based on data from impacted insurers, covering property and motor lines.
- Two fatalities were reported.
- PERILS will provide a further updated loss estimate on 13 August 2026.
- Nils was the largest single-event loss of the European windstorm season 2025/26.
reported
- Storm also caused avalanches in the French Alps.
- The European windstorm season 2025/26 had only two events exceeding PERILS loss-capturing thresholds: Goretti (€479m, January 2026) and Nils (€767m, February 2026).
- Season described as 'second consecutive season with notably low European windstorm losses.'
uncertain
- Final insured loss total remains subject to further claims development; a third estimate is due August 2026.
- Breakdown between wind losses and flood/avalanche losses is not fully specified beyond wind being the majority.
Affected Countries
Key Entities
Sources
Trade Media
- Artemis (ILS/Cat bonds)13 May 2026, 15:20
Timeline
Status changed to monitoring
Auto-transitioned: no updates for 6 hours
Lifecycle changed
active → monitoring
Status changed to active
remediation: existing authoritative signal
Lifecycle changed
signal → active
Initial Detection
Extratropical windstorm Nils (also known as Ulrike) struck the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions of southwest France from 11–13 February 2026, bringing extreme winds, flooding, and avalanches in the French Alps. PERILS has revised its insured industry loss estimate upward by nearly 31%, from €586 million to €767 million, based on updated claims data from impacted insurers covering property and motor lines. The storm was identified as the largest single event loss of the European windstorm season 2025/26, with wind losses driving the majority of the insured loss. PERILS will publish a further updated estimate on 13 August 2026.
PERILS has updated its industry loss estimate for extratropical windstorm Nils...lifting the total almost 31% to €767 million...Nils generated the largest event loss of the European windstorm season 2025/26, with wind losses causing the majority of the industry loss.
Source: Artemis (ILS/Cat bonds) (Trade Media) · View source