Damage to buildings due to drought episodes observed in France in 2022 should cost insurers between 1.6 and 2.4 billion euros, potentially the most expensive year for this type of event, according to figures released. Thursday by the federation of insurers.
This year could indeed exceed the 2.12 billion euros recorded in 2003, the worst year in terms of drought since the creation of the "Natural disasters" regime in 1982. It should in any case be more expensive than 2018, until 'now in second place with damage estimated at nearly 1.5 billion.
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This estimate only includes damage located in municipalities whose state of natural disaster will be recognized, and which will then be considered as consecutive to the drought.
It does not take into account crop damage, which will be covered by crop insurance.
Drought, following a period of humidification, fuels the phenomenon of shrinkage swelling of clay soils (RGA) which affects a good half of the metropolitan territory, and results in landslides likely to destabilize the foundations of houses.
"The Most Dynamic Peril"
In France, approximately 54% of single-family homes are located in areas with average or high exposure to RGA.
And 3.3 million homes, or about 16% of the total, are located in high risk areas.
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Due to global warming, drought is "the most dynamic peril," said Florence Lustman, president of France Assureurs, the federation of insurers.
According to a study by the federation published in 2021, the drought in France cost 14 billion euros between 1989 and 2019 and is expected to cost around 43 billion between 2020 and 2050.
