The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared a Significant Event for the hailstorm that struck the greater Brisbane region on Sunday with insurers already processing 11,000 claims from affected residents and businesses.
In a media release this afternoon, the ICA said it has activated its preliminary catastrophe processes to assess the insurance impact of the hail, heavy rain, and strong winds that swept across Brisbane and Ipswich. Under the Significant Event declaration, the ICA has commenced claims data collection, analysis, and reporting in consultation with its members. ICA representatives are also working closely with government and agencies to understand the impact on the community and ensure affected residents receive assistance if needed.
“Sunday’s hailstorm brought intense rainfall, hail and was widespread across parts of the Brisbane and Ipswich region,” said Andrew Hall, ICA CEO. “Insurers understand the impact these extreme weather events have and will be moving quickly to ensure communities receive the assistance they need.”
While it is too early to determine the full insurance impact, Hall said that “claims lodged to date include damage to motor vehicles, food spoilage due to power outages, smashed windows, and fallen trees.”
The event - now designated SE 254 -comes ahead of what is expected to be a challenging few weeks of severe storm activity along the east coast. The ICA is urging residents to prepare now for further severe weather. “With more severe storms expected along the east coast over the coming few weeks, it’s important for homeowners to be prepared and take steps to protect themselves and their property,” Hall said.
The ICA has warned that Sunday’s event may be escalated to an Insurance Catastrophe if claim numbers or complexity rise significantly, or if the geographical spread widens.
Insurance customers whose property has been impacted are advised to contact their insurer as soon as practical, even if the full extent of the damage is not yet known. “We encourage anyone who has damage or suspects damage to get in touch with their insurer as soon as possible,” Hall said.
The ICA is also cautioning residents to be wary of ‘disaster chasers’ - opportunists who pressure homeowners into signing contracts for future repair work, sometimes promising insurers will pay. Such arrangements can leave homeowners liable for commissions or inflated repair bills not covered by insurance, as insurers will only pay for approved work covered by a policy.
Residents approached by or who have signed with a disaster chaser are encouraged to seek guidance from their insurer.
