PERILS has expanded its catastrophe loss forecasting capability with the introduction of a typhoon loss prediction service for Japan.
The platform, called Wind-Jeannie Japan, provides insurers and reinsurers with 72-hour advance projections of industry-wide losses from typhoon events.
Forecasts are refreshed twice daily and include maps showing the geographic spread of expected wind gusts and related loss footprints.
The tool draws on meteorological data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and results can be downloaded at the municipality (Kushichōson) level for further analysis.
The Jeannie suite of tools was first deployed in 2015 to track European windstorms. Since then, coverage has been expanded to include wind and hail events in Europe and Australia.
PERILS said it has also updated the loss calculation engines across all Jeannie products using insights from recent severe weather events.
Takashi Goda, PERILS’ representative in Japan, said the new service is intended to support insurers during the peak storm season.
“It offers multiple benefits to users such as enhancing the ability to understand the potential impact of a typhoon ahead of an event and helping insurers prepare the necessary resources to respond quickly and effectively to assist those affected,” he said.
Chief executive Christoph Oehy said the design of the Jeannie tools mirrors weather forecast platforms.
“The information is instantly accessible and easy to understand, whether you use a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Users can also set up email alerts for wind and hail events in excess of a defined industry loss level to remain continuously up to date,” he said.
The release of Wind-Jeannie Japan comes alongside new findings from Willis, which reported that insured global catastrophe losses in 2025 are projected to exceed US$100 billion. This would be the seventh straight year that losses reach or surpass that level.
According to the Willis Natural Catastrophe Review, the Los Angeles wildfires in January have already become the most expensive wildfire on record, generating more than US$40 billion in insured losses. The event accounts for nearly a third of global catastrophe losses in 2024 and has placed early strain on insurers’ budgets this year.
The report also cited wildfires in Japan and South Korea, a record-breaking tornado season in the US, Australia’s first cyclone landfall near Brisbane in five decades, and Ireland’s highest recorded wind speed as additional drivers of global claims.
The review warned that an above-average North Atlantic hurricane season is expected, further increasing the likelihood of high losses in 2025.
