QBE report finds severe weather leaves communities with 9% fewer small businesses after two years

• QBE research found severe weather shocks drive persistent losses in small businesses, widening a “recovery gap” in local economies.
• Two years post-event, affected Australian communities had about 9% fewer small businesses, implying about $43 million annual activity forgone.
• The gap measured about 3% in the disaster year, about 4% one year later; it stabilized in year three at 7% below trend.
• High-severity events showed sharper damage, with business counts estimated 21% below expected levels two years after disruption.
• Lower-resilience communities ran about 15% fewer small businesses two years later; higher-resilience areas were broadly unchanged.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. QBE Insurance Group Ltd. published the original content used to generate this news brief on October 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.