The National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) has reaffirmed the vital role insurance brokers play in supporting clients during natural disasters, following severe flooding across New South Wales’s Mid North Coast and Hunter regions.
NIBA acknowledged the widespread impact of the event, which has led to fatalities, evacuations, and thousands of insurance claims.
Wayne Egelton, NIBA’s national partnerships manager, described firsthand the conditions in South West Rocks, where flooding isolated the town and cut off basic supplies.
“The coastal township [South West Rocks] we were staying at became totally isolated very quickly. All roads were flooded. By Wednesday last week, there was no fresh food available in the town; no bread, milk, fresh fruit, and vegetables, no garbage collections, and most shops and cafes in town closed as they had no basic supplies that make everyday life work,” he said.
Egelton, who was stranded in a holiday rental, said the experience underscored the importance of preparedness and timely broker intervention.
“The reality hit home for me when I saw firsthand cows up to their neck in flood water. We are in a comfortable holiday house, but my heart goes out to those who are feeling the full brunt of this weather event and have lost so much,” Egelton said.
The flooding, classified by state officials as a one-in-500-year event, has left more than 50,000 people isolated and caused significant damage across multiple towns.
NSW Premier Chris Minns reported over 765 flood rescues had been carried out as of late May.
Jeremy Thornton, director at Complete Risk Solutions in Taree, said the community is facing challenges unlike previous flood events.
“You look back at the 150-year history of this town [Taree], and you can see that there have been floods here in the past. People know that. But this was different and completely unexpected,” he said.
He noted that while his team has begun processing claims for affected clients, the priority has been broader community support.
In response to the crisis, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has launched temporary insurance hubs to streamline the claims process for affected residents.
Locations have been established in Taree and Port Macquarie, providing walk-in support for policyholders needing to file claims or speak with insurers directly.
The Port Macquarie hub is operational until June 1, while the Taree hub will continue operating until June 13, with extended weekday and weekend hours.
While emergency relief has been made available under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), including support for impacted households, industry stakeholders say more long-term investment is needed.
The federal budget earmarked $1.2 billion in additional disaster-related spending over the forward estimates, alongside $28.8 million for national hazard readiness. In NSW, $580 million has been committed for infrastructure upgrades designed to reduce flood risks.
However, the ICA has called for a broader strategy to address rising insurance losses from extreme weather. The council’s proposal for a $30.15 billion Flood Defence Fund includes allocations for new levees, retrofitting homes, buyback programs, and maintenance of existing defences.
In its pre-budget submission, NIBA recommended expanding the federal Disaster Ready Fund, launching a household resilience initiative, and creating a dedicated advisory group to monitor emerging risks.
