This raises an urgent question for building owners and their advisors: What specific risks do these properties face?
The problem: Climate-related damage is on the rise, and gaps in protection are widening
The figures speak for themselves. According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), climate-related damage in Germany has increased fivefold since 1980. [1] Furthermore, the German Weather Service reports that the years 2022 through 2024 were the three warmest years since systematic measurements began in Germany. [2]
At the same time, there is a significant gap in coverage. 41% of all buildings in Germany are not adequately insured against natural hazards. [4] This means that nearly one in two properties is inadequately protected—even though the risks are demonstrably on the rise.
What makes the current trend so significant is that extreme weather events are now affecting regions that were previously considered largely safe. The floods of summer 2024 have vividly demonstrated how quickly areas once thought to be low-risk can come under scrutiny. [1] Property owners who, based on years of experience, had considered their buildings to be safe suddenly found themselves facing massive damage—without adequate insurance coverage.
Why the traditional approach is no longer sufficient
Many property owners underestimate the risks associated with their property—not out of negligence, but due to a lack of reliable, location-specific information. The question “Am I adequately insured?” cannot be answered without a specific risk analysis. Regional experience, gut feelings, or general claims statistics are not sufficient for this purpose.
For insurance advisors, this creates a structural problem: Discussions about natural disaster coverage often don’t take place until a loss has already occurred. At that point, the scope for action is limited. However, insurance is precisely what protects customers in the long term—and this is where the quality of advice is crucial.
The political debate also underscores the urgency of the matter. In March 2025, the Conference of State Ministers of Justice voted by a majority in favor of a nationwide regulation on natural disaster insurance. [3] The regulatory landscape will continue to evolve—and advisors who conduct thorough risk assessments today are positioning themselves early on.
What a Climate Risk Analysis Must Achieve
A robust climate risk analysis should answer specific questions: What climate risks does this property face at this location? What types of damage are more likely to occur in the future? Where is there an urgent need for action? For which properties should targeted discussions be initiated?
The combination of data quality and location accuracy is crucial to answering these questions.
A detailed analysis brings these differences to light. It shifts the focus of the consultation from reactive claims settlement to prevention—thereby creating a foundation for discussion that provides customers with guidance rather than causing uncertainty.
The SkenData Climate Risk Report: Making Climate Risks Visible
SkenData, a Rostock-based software company specializing in building data, offers the Climate Risk Report, a tool that enables climate risk analyses. Based on an address entry, the tool analyzes up to 18 climate risks—and clearly shows which hazards a property faces, which types of damage are more likely to occur in the future, and where specific action is needed.
The Climate Risk Report is designed as a direct consulting tool: The results are presented in an easy-to-understand format and are immediately comprehensible to both consultants and clients. This ensures that consulting discussions are based on concrete, verifiable facts.
For enterprise customers, the Climate Risk Report can be integrated into the existing SkenData products EnergyCheck and Wert14 as part of a flat-rate plan. This means no additional implementation effort and a scalable solution for large portfolios. The Climate Risk Report thus becomes an integral part of the consulting process.
Climate Risks as a Selling Point
The combination of rising claims, a widening coverage gap, and increasing regulatory pressure makes one thing clear: The issue of climate risk is not going to disappear from building consulting—it is becoming more relevant.
Consultants who incorporate location-specific risk data into their work change the nature of the conversation. They proactively address risks before damage occurs. They build their clients’ trust through transparency and verifiable facts. And they open up new opportunities for sales in the area of natural hazard insurance—based on solid data rather than guesswork.
Are you ready to incorporate climate risks into your consulting services? Contact SkenData to learn how to integrate the Climate Risk Report into your existing processes.
Identify climate risks. Seize opportunities. Protect customers.
Are you interested in SkenData’s Climate Risk Report? If so, please fill out the contact form now, and we’ll get back to you right away.
For more information on the Climate (Risk) product line, click here.
Sources
[1] German Insurance Association (GDV): “Climate Change Impacts: Facts and Figures.” GDV, October 2024. https://www.gdv.de/gdv/medien/medieninformationen/klimawandelfolgen-in-zahlen-und-fakten–183732
[2] German Weather Service / Extreme Weather Congress: “What We Know About Extreme Weather in Germany – Fact Sheet 2025.” German Weather Service, September 2025. https://www.dwd.de/DE/klimaumwelt/aktuelle_meldungen/250924/faktenpapier_extremwetterkongress.html
[3] traut.immobilien: “Natural Disaster Insurance 2025 – Will It Become Mandatory for Homeowners?” traut.immobilien, August 2025. https://www.traut.immobilien/expertentipp/elementarschadenversicherung-2025-kommt-die-pflicht-fuer-hausbesitzer
[4] German Insurance Association: “Heavy Rain After Thunderstorms: 41 Percent of Residential Buildings Lack Natural Hazard Coverage,” GdV, June 2026. https://www.gdv.de/gdv/medien/medieninformationen/naturgefahren-schaeden-weiter-hoch-folgen-des-klimawandels-201070
