Insurers swamped with more than 1000 claims in wake of severe weather in Tasmania

Hundreds of Tasmanian property-owners have lodged insurance claims over the past week as they count the cost of storms and flooding.

Tasmania SES crews during wild weather event across the state on August 31. Picture: Supplied

Property-owners affected by recent severe weather have swamped insurers with more than 1000 claims over the past week as the impact of recent flooding and damaging winds continues to be assessed.

Communities in the Derwent Valley and the North and North-West of the state are still counting the cost of the wild weather after extreme rainfall and gale-force winds battered the island.

A spokeswoman for the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), which represents the vast majority of private sector general insurers, said its members had received in excess of 1000 claims from Tasmanian residents since the weather event occurred.

Flooding at Bushy Park on Monday 2nd September 2024. Picture: Linda Higginson

She said most of the claims related to wind and rain damage.

“The ICA remains connected with recovery teams in both states,” the spokeswoman said.

The RACT alone has had more than 800 claims lodged, with 60 per cent of these coming from the state’s North.

RACT CEO Mark Mugnaioni said this number was expected to climb in the coming week.

“Most claims relate to damage to homes and buildings, many of these caused from trees impacting homes and roofs and water entering homes through windows, doors and chimneys as a result of the rain combined with high winds,” he said.

“Over the past few days, our network of approved builders have made 186 urgent safety repairs across the state as we have focused on urgent safety repairs as a priority.”

Mr Mugnaioni said more complex claims such as those involving structural damage to a property would “take more time to assess and repair”.

RACT CEO Mark Mugnaioni. Picture: Linda Higginson

“Most of the claims received have already been assigned an assessor [and they] are currently in the field assessing damage and arranging times to visit homes over the coming weeks,” he said.

Suncorp Group, which includes insurers such as AAMI, Apia, Terri Scheer and Shannons, received more than 1400 home insurance and 170 motor insurance claims across both Tasmania and Victoria – which has also been affected by severe weather – between August 29 and September 3.

“Areas around Melbourne in Victoria saw the brunt of the impact, while in Tasmania’s north, Launceston and Devonport were significantly impacted, with power outages causing disruption across both states,” Suncorp executive general manager of home claims customers Alli Smith said.

Thousands of Tasmanians have been affected by the storms and flooding across all 29 local government areas.

The state and Commonwealth governments have activated jointly funded disaster recovery funding arrangements, making grants available to people impacted by flood waters, isolated due to road closures, or require food, water or essential items.

Originally published as Insurers swamped with more than 1000 claims in wake of severe weather in Tasmania