The civil engineering and expert office “Sterkl, Schörkhuber & Partner” based in Leonding is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and today invited the industry to discuss the latest developments and changes affecting customers and insurers. Claims settlement has increased significantly, not least because of an increase in natural disasters such as hail or flooding, said managing director Martin Schörkhuber, whose company assesses around 7,000 claims per year in Europe and has become the market leader in Austria with 110 employees and an annual turnover of around twelve million euros. “Construction is becoming increasingly high-quality and sophisticated. If damage occurs, the repairs are also more complex,” says Schörkhuber.
He advises policyholders to “take out comprehensive insurance.” Homeowners and business owners often overlook the need to adjust their insurance to reflect the increased values. Schörkhuber: “For example, you insured your house for 200,000 euros when it was built, but over the years you added a pool, carport and photovoltaic system.” You have to report this to your insurance company, otherwise you could have a rude awakening in an emergency. Climate change also means that local events such as the hailstorms in 2021 are becoming more frequent, causing massive damage. And snow pressure or the snow load on buildings “is becoming more and more of an issue,” says Schörkhuber.
Higher damage amounts
Othmar Nagl, General Director of OÖ Versicherung, is also aware of these developments. In addition to his own experts, he also works with “Sterkl, Schörkhuber & Partner” for major building damage. “This affects fires, of which there have unfortunately already been a few this year, but also damage to large machinery at companies,” says Nagl. The amount of damage has risen massively in recent years due to inflation, supply chain problems and personnel costs. The number of cases caused by severe, local weather events has also increased significantly and the processing takes time. For example, after the hailstorms with severe damage in the Salzkammergut in 2021, around 18 million euros in provisions are still outstanding. (ct)
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