Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has activated its 24-hour Major Event Command Centre to coordinate claims response operations resulting from Tropical Cyclone Fina and severe weather systems affecting multiple states. The operational deployment supports customers of IAG’s insurance subsidiaries, which include NRMA Insurance, CGU, WFI, and ROLLiN’.
The activation represents the organisation’s standard protocol for managing widespread claims activity triggered by major meteorological events. The centre coordinates with field-based claims teams and repair networks to manage the volume and complexity of damage assessments across affected territories.
The 24-hour facility operates with access to proprietary data systems designed to analyse weather hazard patterns alongside customer policy information. This integration enables the command centre to direct resources toward priority repair requirements and contact policyholders in affected areas who may have incurred unassessed losses. Luke Gallagher, executive general manager of claims, described the operational approach. “Using this technology, we’re able to quickly coordinate our network of specialist hail repairers and partner builders who are assisting customers with their vehicle and property repairs and will continue to do so through this week’s wild weather.”
The centre’s Situation Awareness Map (SAM) platform combines real-time meteorological intelligence with geographic customer data. This allows the centre to prioritise Emergency Make-Safe repair work – immediate stabilisation of damaged structures and vehicles – and to initiate outbound contact with at-risk policyholders.
The activation follows forecasts indicating sustained severe weather activity across eastern Australia and the impending arrival of Tropical Cyclone Fina on the Western Australian coast. IAG’s meteorology division has assessed ongoing storm development and predicted impacts to population centres.
In a statement released on Nov. 24, Kathryn Turner, senior weather risk analyst at IAG, outlined the anticipated conditions. “We’re closely monitoring Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina, which is expected to make landfall today, sweeping across the top of Western Australia in the coming days. Across South East Queensland and Northern NSW, conditions are highly conducive to severe thunderstorms, including potential supercells and large to giant hail from Port Macquarie to the Wide Bay region in the days ahead,” she said.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued formal cyclone warnings for Western Australia’s northern coastline, with the cyclone’s core structure expected to impact the Kimberley region on Monday evening.
According to ABC, the early-season timing of Tropical Cyclone Fina has created operational complications for regional service facilities. Airport operations in the northern Kimberley region have scaled back staffing levels in preparation for the system’s arrival. Todd Shield, general manager of Mangalalu North Kimberley Airport, noted supply chain disruptions. “At this time of the year, we are ramping up for cyclone season, which means we tend to bring fuel stocks, food stocks into the airport. We’ve only just started that process, so we’re not fully prepared for it from that perspective. However, we’re fine; we’re in a good place,” Shield said.
Routine cargo barge shipments from Darwin have been suspended. The facility maintains emergency inventory reserves representing two weeks of operational supply requirements, which Shield indicated would provide adequate resources throughout the event period.
