Insurers will return to Harden, New South Wales, this month to meet policyholders still managing claims from the February 2025 hail and heavy rain event. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and several member insurers will hold community consultations at the Harden Country Club on East Street on Feb. 17 and 18, 2026, from 10am to 5pm. The sessions will give customers affected by the 2025 event direct access to insurer representatives. Attendees will be able to meet one-on-one with their insurer to discuss the status of individual claims, clarify documentation, and address repair, settlement, and other claim-related issues.
Alongside individual appointments, the consultations will include information on the general claims process, dispute resolution options, and other insurance topics relevant to recovery. Registration is required in advance, with bookings to be made via the ICA website. Liam Walter, ICA director of mitigation and extreme weather response, said many customers in Harden and surrounding districts are still finalising claims from the 2025 storm. “Following the hail event in Harden, insurers have been dedicated to assessing, repairing, and completing outstanding claims, with some customers still in the recovery process. Insurers are committed to supporting those in Harden and surrounding areas who may still be going through the recovery process, and value this opportunity for face-to-face collaboration. Anyone who feels they could benefit is encouraged to come along and speak directly with their insurer for individualised support,” Walter said.
The Harden consultations take place against a year of elevated natural peril activity. ICA data show that extreme weather events generated almost $3.5 billion in insured losses from about 264,000 claims in 2025, with severe hailstorms over a five-week period in October and November accounting for more than $1.4 billion of the total. Five events were declared significant or catastrophic by the ICA during the year. The North Queensland floods (SE251), from Jan. 29 to Feb. 12, resulted in 11,700 claims and $304 million in insured losses. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred (CAT 252), which affected Queensland and northern New South Wales from Feb. 28 to March 11, produced 132,000 claims and $1.5 billion in losses, making it the costliest single event of 2025.
The Mid North Coast and Hunter floods (CAT 253), between May 17 and 24, generated 14,500 claims and $266 million in insured losses. Two spring storm systems contributed most of the hail-related cost. The Severe Spring Storms (SE254), which impacted South East Queensland and northern New South Wales from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2, led to 35,500 claims and $601 million in insured losses. The QLD and NSW Severe Storms and Hail event (CAT 255), from Nov. 20 to 27, resulted in 70,200 claims and $814 million in losses. Combined, the two events accounted for about $1.4 billion in insured losses.
Other localised events – including flooding in Western Queensland, storms in Casterton and Harden, and bushfires in Halls Gap – are not captured in the ICA’s national extreme weather totals. Insurers expect further claims development from 2025 events, indicating the final cost for the year is likely to increase. The 2025 figures compare with insured extreme weather losses of $581 million in 2024 and $2.35 billion in 2023, highlighting variability in annual catastrophe outcomes for the market. The ICA said it coordinated three temporary Insurance Hubs in 2025 after major events and held 13 community consultation sessions, in addition to insurers’ own local activities.
These trends in claims and event frequency are also reflected in consumer sentiment. New national polling commissioned by the Climate Council suggests that recent loss experience and expectations of more frequent severe events are influencing household views on home and contents insurance. A YouGov survey of more than 1,500 Australians found that 54% of respondents with home and/or contents cover are concerned that extreme weather events such as bushfires, floods, or storms will make insurance unaffordable or unavailable where they live. Almost half (46%) said they have already experienced higher premiums.
The survey also pointed to potential changes in coverage if prices continue to rise. One in five respondents (22%) with home and/or contents insurance reported they are likely to consider going without cover if worsening extreme weather keeps increasing the cost of insurance. Existing gaps in protection remain in the domestic market. As of 2023, an estimated 5.1% of Australian households were underinsured and 3.3% were uninsured, representing more than two million people with limited or no home insurance. For Australian insurers and intermediaries, the intersection of follow-up engagement in communities such as Harden, higher catastrophe losses, and affordability and availability concerns is expected to feature in discussions on underwriting, pricing, mitigation measures, and public policy through 2026.
