Suncorp has worked with the Bureau of Meteorology to use insurance data and radar readings to provide more accurate hail forecasts.

The tie-up features in a research paper by three members of the insurer’s natural perils team who used the information and machine learning tools to create hail damage estimate scores for at-risk areas.

Suncorp pricing and analytics scientific specialist Rhys Whitley, who was one of the authors, says the research has examined “how to connect the two [organisations] for a more accurate measurement of hail risk”.  

He says it aims to address forecasting issues that make it difficult to differentiate between the likelihood of hail and rain from approaching storms.  

“To date, the best weather forecasts can do is warn the public of thunderstorm activity over very broad geographical areas and that there is a potential for hail,” he said. “This hasn’t really changed much in Australia for the last 20 years.”  

Dr Whitley says the research will allow for more localised and accurate indications of hail impact compared with current “city-wide” forecasts.  

“We can say, for example, ‘There is damaging hail developing in this storm system, and it is likely to hit the following areas,’ ” he said.  

Suncorp says delivering more accurate hail damage estimates will allow communities to prepare their properties and vehicles, reducing damage costs.  

It says the information will also help its disaster response team prepare and deliver resources to areas most at risk.  

Click here to access the research paper.