Suncorp has opened a Mass Assessment Centre at Eagle Farm in Brisbane to manage increased vehicle claims arising from hailstorms that hit Southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales in November. The insurer is handling more than 6,500 motor claims linked to the event.
The Eagle Farm site is operating as a drive-through facility to handle assessments and coordinate repairs, with capacity to process about 500 vehicles per day. Windscreen specialists, panel beaters, and paint technicians are based on site. Suncorp is using paintless dent removal and other repair methods where suitable, while vehicles with more extensive structural or panel damage are being referred into its broader repairer network for further work.
Martin Culnane, Suncorp head of national assessing, said the event has produced a wide range of loss severity across the motor portfolio. “We’ve seen a variety of damage in this event, from minor dents caused by pea-sized hail to much more severe structural and panel damage caused by hailstones the size of cricket balls, and even bigger. The velocity of this storm caused significant impact, and we are seeing some cases where the force of the hail has been severe enough to require panels to be repainted and glass roofs and windows to be replaced or repaired,” Culnane said.
The Eagle Farm centre operates on weekdays from 7:30am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 8am to noon. It is scheduled to remain open until Dec. 12. Suncorp says customers can lodge claims online, after which a representative will contact them to confirm an assessment appointment.
In addition to the Brisbane facility, the insurer has deployed Customer Support Teams and Disaster Mobile Hubs to Beachmere, Priestdale, and Bongaree. These locations are being used to discuss claim status, arrange emergency payments, and handle general enquiries from affected policyholders.
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has extended its Insurance Catastrophe declaration to include all postcodes in Queensland and New South Wales affected by storm and hail activity between Nov. 20 and 27. The weather system has been formally designated “Qld and NSW Severe Storms and Hail.”
Insurers have so far recorded more than 44,600 claims across personal and commercial classes, with further growth expected as assessments progress and additional damage is identified. The claims span home, motor, and business lines and are contributing to early experience against 2025-26 natural peril budgets and catastrophe reinsurance programs.
Under the catastrophe framework, insurers are deploying surge staffing, coordinating activity through the ICA and working more closely with government agencies and emergency services. Measures include triaging high-severity and vulnerable cases, prioritising make-safe work, and expanding the use of remote and digital assessment tools to manage claim volumes.
Allianz Australia has deployed its disaster and recovery team to Bribie Island Town Hall in Bongaree, Queensland, to provide in-person support from 9am to 4pm starting Dec. 2. By that date, Allianz had received more than 5,000 claims connected to the storm activity.
At the Bongaree hub, staff are helping customers lodge claims, arrange payments, and secure emergency or temporary accommodation where policy terms allow. The team is also identifying customers who may be experiencing vulnerability and referring them to additional support services where appropriate.
Insurance Australia Group (IAG) had received more than 8,500 claims as of Nov. 26 across its brands following the Southeast Queensland storms and hail. Most claims relate to motor and home policies, with some additional losses from food spoilage.
Luke Gallagher, IAG executive general manager of claims, said the group has deployed NRMA Insurance Help Response vehicles into heavily affected areas to assist with claim lodgement and internet access. The RACQ Mobile Claims Centre is also operating in affected communities to support members with on-site claim handling and enquiries.
IAG’s partner builders have started more than 800 make-safe repairs on damaged properties. Hail repair teams are inspecting and processing damaged vehicles, with repair scheduling based on damage severity and safety requirements.
