Damage bill from super cell storm to top $1 billion
Insurance companies warn the damage bill from the weekend’s horror hail storm will top $1 billion, as claims continue to pour in. See which suburbs were hardest hit.
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Businesses are “run off their feet” trying to assess destroyed homes in the aftermath of Saturday’s supercell storm that ripped through southeast Queensland.
More than 8500 claims have been lodged as insurers count the cost of a damage bill estimated at $1 billion.
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Saturday’s storm saw cricket-ball sized hail rip holes in roofs, smash windows and solar panels, and damage thousands of vehicles.
RACQ said the total damage bill from the storm would top $1 billion, making it worse than a similar weather event in 2014. RACQ alone said it had received more than 3400 claims, mostly hail damage to cars and homes. Suncorp said as of Monday it had received 3600 claims but chief executive Steve Johnston said these numbers were expected to rise in the coming days.
It comes as the Insurance Council of Australia also urged people to be wary of scams, with “disaster chasers” starting to doorknock damaged homes within hours of Saturday’s storm, seeking to exploit vulnerable householders.
ICA chief executive Andrew Hall said disaster chasers offered urgent inspections or repairs for cash but leave the work either poorly done or not completed.
The ICA said about 40 per cent of claims were for damage to homes while 60 per cent were for damage to cars, vans and trucks.
Curly’s Roofing Ipswich director Curly Mal said the business had been run off its feet. “We probably have three to four weeks booked up now … we’ve had 20 phone calls in the last two days,” he said.
Ipswich Solar Power owner Darren Rosolak usually has about three to four calls a day but yesterday counted 45.
“It’s going to be a huge amount of work … this is probably going to drag on for the next six months, I would say,” Mr Rosolak said.
“It’s not just get out there and replace the (solar power) system now; they’ve got to get their whole roof replaced.”
Suncorp said the worst hit suburbs were Springfield Lakes, Greenbank, Rosewood and Fernvale.
More than 2000 homes in Springfield Lakes were still without power on Monday morning and it will be months before some Ipswich residents can safely return to their homes.
Some residents in Eumundi and the surrounding area were still without power Monday night after a short but savage storm that locals likened to a cyclone.
Huge gums were felled in the severe weather and smaller trees lined the major link and arterial roads.
Ron and Anna Beere sat and watched while the storm left a trail of destruction through their Sunshine Coast hinterland property at Ninderry, reminding them of a category five cyclone they endured 31 years ago.
“It was very cyclonic, it just reminded me of that moment of winds and gusts,” Anna Beere said.
About 20 trees were uprooted and snapped in their front yard with one large gum tree falling on to their bedroom.
“I won’t say what we said when we saw it, but the tree is massive,” she said.
“It’s resting comfortably across our bedroom, but thank God our house is very well built and we’re very lucky.”
How to spot disaster chasers:
Disaster chasers may not have a building licence, trade qualifications, professional indemnity insurance or an ABN. Some have been known to use standover tactics to demand money. Residents should contact police if they suspect they have been approached by such people.