Crawford warns super El Niño may raise UK agriculture insurance losses, report says

Global yield disruptions could increase commodity price volatility, pressuring farm input costs, sums insured, business interruption exposure and policyholder credit stress.

Warmer, wetter conditions may increase livestock disease risk, adding to mortality claims and raising adjustment complexity for agricultural insurers.

Crawford published a UK agriculture risk report warning a potential super El Niño could lift insured losses from heavier rain, flooding and storms.

Sequential extremes could drive more complex claims, including compound seasons with drought-driven yield hits followed by flood damage.

Baseline soil stress from recent dry and wet swings may increase repeat-claim risk, raising cumulative losses across agricultural portfolios.