Incurance data

In 2018, Klima 2050 conducted a study on sharing of loss data (skadedata) for better climate adaptation decisions. Previous research has shown high utility value of data on address level from the insurance companies for the municipalities struggling with prevention of nature events. The data helped the municipalities to better understand the picture of risk, and to make informed decisions about measures and which areas to prioritize.

DSB (The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection) and Finance Norway collaborate to prevent unwanted natural events and contribute to prevention of events. DSB is developing the Knowledge Bank (Kunnskapsbanken), which will compile and make available data on nature incidents and stormwater/flooding damages in order to strengthen the municipalities and counties work for climate adaptation. Data from the insurance companies is highly relevant for the "Knowledge Bank". Based on this, the Centre examined the attitudes to sharing of loss data among the leaders of the largest insurance companies in Norway.

The study showed that the largest insurance companies in Norway, representing more than 90% of the market, are willing to share their loss data with municipalities and government agencies that work on prevention of damages and climate adaptation. They can share data on address level. Nevertheless, there is a clear assumption that ‘the output data’, has to be aggregated higher than address level. This is related to the insurance companies' responsibility for the privacy of the customers, and it is up to the authorities how these legal issues can be resolved. It is very important with login and restricted access to protect commercial sensitivity. The interviewees prefer that the companies shall be ordered to share data. The process of registering data in the companies appears to be sufficiently digitized so that transferring the data will go smoothly.

This now appears to lay the foundation for Norway to become a global pioneer through the provision of data from insurance companies for use in municipalities and county municipalities for preventive work on climate adaptation and stormwater management.