A challenge for insurers Blatten rockslide caused damage of 255 million francs
A year ago, the Blatten rockslide buried and destroyed large parts of the village in the Lötschental valley in Valais. The disaster on May 28, 2025 also posed major challenges for the insurance industry.
26.05.2026, 08:44
26.05.2026, 11:17
SDA
The total insured loss from the rockslide in Blatten is estimated at around CHF 255 million. Around CHF 240 million of this is attributable to losses within the natural hazard pool, as the pool's annual financial statements published on Tuesday show.
The natural hazard pool is an association of private insurers for better risk equalization in the event of natural hazards. The pool buys reinsurance cover for its members on the global market for joint account.
Mainly building damage
A total of CHF 210 million would have been affected by damage to buildings, CHF 30 million to household contents and movables. And an additional CHF 15 million would be attributable to insured losses outside the loss pool, such as business interruption and motor vehicle hull damage.
The Swiss Insurance Association (SIA) writes in a press release that the private insurers supported those affected in Blatten quickly and unbureaucratically. Just four months after the event, more than 80 percent of the insured sums for buildings and household contents were paid out in the case of total losses.
Insurers whose losses in Blatten were below average in relation to their market share throughout Switzerland also made substantial contributions, the SIA added. These funds were passed on to particularly affected companies.
