One year after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred crossed the Queensland coast, Australian insurers and their peak body are using the milestone to report on claims outcomes, outline response approaches, and press for increased investment in climate resilience.
Suncorp says it has shifted from initial emergency response to finalising remaining complex claims from Alfred and subsequent severe weather. As at March 4, the insurer had closed more than 93% of 34,151 claims lodged from the cyclone and related storms, including about 29,000 home claims, around 1,400 motor claims, and 1,600 commercial claims. Alfred made landfall as a Category 1 system over Moreton Island on March 8, 2025, bringing damaging winds and power outages across parts of South East Queensland, with Runaway Bay, Redland Bay, Nerang, Mudgeeraba, and Banora Point among the most affected locations.
To support remaining customers, Suncorp plans to deploy its Mobile Disaster Response Hubs across 18 locations, focusing on policyholders with complex claims and those affected by late‑2025 hail and storm events. It has also committed $600,000 in grants for disaster recovery and preparedness projects through its partnership with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). Suncorp chief executive consumer insurance Lisa Harrison (pictured) said the insurer is still working through the most challenging cases. “Twelve months on, we’ve made good progress in returning people to their homes, getting their cars back on the road, or getting their businesses back up and running. But events of this scale take time, and we continue to work tirelessly to finalise those more complex claims that remain open. Now, we are continuing to support those affected with additional face-to-face contact points, particularly for those with complex claims,” Harrison said.
IAG’s brands – including NRMA Insurance, CGU, WFI Insurance, and ROLLiN’ – coordinated a large-scale response across Queensland and northern New South Wales, led by its 24/7 Major Event Command Centre. The centre was activated six days before Alfred made landfall, using IAG’s Situational Awareness Map (SAM) to track the cyclone and identify areas likely to experience damage. The tool combines satellite, property, policy, and environmental information to map exposure and support decisions on communications, deployment, and triage.
IAG executive manager of property claims fulfilment Scott Lindsay said the platform supported engagement with customers and operational planning. “The data we received enabled us to send more than 500,000 text and email messages urging customers in the cyclone’s path to prepare. When natural disasters strike, SAM and other data sources helped us to quickly triage damage assessments, prioritise emergency repairs, and pre-arrange temporary accommodation for customers across Northern NSW & SE QLD,” Lindsay said.
During Alfred, IAG partnered with Optus to trial portable Starlink micro terminals that provided satellite connectivity for assessors working in areas with prolonged power and telecommunications outages. The devices were used alongside NRMA Insurance Help Response Vehicles, which were deployed to multiple sites and recovery hubs. Across the response, IAG reports completing more than 2,300 emergency make-safe repairs, placing 126 customers into temporary accommodation and settling more than 3,400 food spoilage claims linked to extended outages.
Industry meteorologists say Alfred is being treated as a case study for how cyclone risk may develop along the eastern seaboard. Suncorp meteorologist Andrew Bufalino said the system highlighted the limits of focusing solely on category ratings. “While TC Alfred weakened upon landfall around Bribie Island, the event reinforced that cyclone category alone does not reflect overall risk or impact. A key takeaway from this event is that impact-based forecasting is critical. Messaging focused on wind, rainfall, and flooding is often more meaningful than cyclone categories and reinforced the value of early preparedness and community awareness, particularly in regions that do not regularly experience tropical cyclones,” Bufalino said.
Bufalino said Alfred demonstrated that tropical cyclones could affect areas as far south as South East Queensland and northern New South Wales, and that climate trends may influence future hazard patterns. “As the climate warms, warmer ocean temperatures and a more moisture-rich atmosphere will increase the likelihood of tropical cyclone impacting regions as far south as South East Queensland and even North East New South Wales. While the overall number of cyclones may not increase in a warming climate, the risk of more intense rainfall and higher impact events is expected to rise,” he said.
Insurer executives are linking Alfred’s anniversary to discussions about land use, building standards, and long‑term risk reduction. Suncorp CEO Steve Johnston has argued that repeated rebuilds under similar exposure conditions are not sustainable over time, citing the need to balance housing supply targets with design requirements for a changing hazard profile. Within Suncorp’s consumer portfolio, Harrison points to household‑level measures such as shutters, guards, anchored sheds, ridge caps, and roof sarking as options that can reduce potential cyclone damage and claim costs. “While the work continues, it’s important that we use this anniversary to highlight the need for us to shift focus from recovery to resilience – working collaboratively with governments, communities, and homeowners. We can’t continue to rebuild in the same way in the same places, so it’s vital we work together to invest upfront in stronger homes, smarter planning, and more resilient infrastructure,” Harrison said.
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) is using the one‑year mark to reinforce its call for greater public investment in mitigation ahead of the federal budget. ICA estimates that Alfred generated about $1.5 billion in insured losses and $2.7 billion in total economic costs. Since 2022, the council says severe and catastrophic weather events have produced $15.4 billion in insured losses and around $28 billion in broader economic costs, with major flood events accounting for a large share. The council argues that, despite initiatives such as the Disaster Ready Fund, resilience investment remains below the level of risk. It estimates that spending under the fund to date equates to about $1 for every $39 lost to extreme weather.
In its pre‑budget submission, the ICA is calling for a $30 billion Flood Defence Fund co‑funded by federal and state governments over 10 years, a national hazard baseline with publicly accessible data, and incentives for states and territories to reform insurance taxes. The Alfred anniversary brings together operational experience from claims and event response, updated views on cyclone hazard in southern regions, and an ongoing policy discussion over how costs and responsibilities for climate risk are allocated across households, insurers, and governments.
