NSW and Queensland floods: how to speed up insurance your claim

Insurers say a few simple steps can help speed up the processing of claims for people hit by this week’s catastrophic floods.

Householders should get all their insurance papers including photos and videos of damage to property and possessions together to help with storm and flood damage claims in NSW and Queensland.

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared a catastrophe for large parts of NSW, which means claims from affected policyholders will be given priority by insurance companies.

Claims will be prioritised to direct urgent assistance to the worst-affected property owners, while insurers will continue to monitor the situation in south-east Queensland to gauge if a similar declaration is required.

ICA boss Andrew Hall said it was too early to ascertain the damage to properties or insurance bill. But Mr Hall said insurers had received more than 5,000 claims in the past few days.

“As many areas are currently inaccessible due to floodwaters, insurers are expecting further claims in coming days as emergency services allow residents to return to their properties to examine the extent of their damage and losses,” he said.

Residents of North St Windsor in Sydney have started evacuating or moving stuff to higher ground.

The ICA’s disaster hotline — 1800 734 621 — has been activated to help policyholders if they are uncertain of their insurance details or have questions about the claims process. All claims must be directly lodged with your insurance company.

QBE said its covered storm damage under several policies, including home building, home contents, farm, commercial, motor vehicle, motorcycle, caravan, landlords and pleasure craft.

The claims process for family homes, cars and possessions can be very overwhelming, but a few simple steps will help kick-off the process.

First, call you insurance company if you need urgent repairs to make your home safe, temporary accommodation or emergency cash payments.

To support your claim and speed up processing time, take lots of photographs and videos of any damage.

If you bought your insurance directly with insurance companies such as QBE and IAG, get in touch with directly. If it was bought through an intermediary or financial institution, contact them to lodge your claim.

The Financial Rights Legal Centre has several helpful tips for lodging a claim for flood damage.

• The ICA recommends keeping samples of materials and fabrics to show an insurance assessor and to make a list of each item damaged and include a details description such as brand, model and serial number if possible.
• Consider how your different policies may cover flood damage and other unexpected costs
• Contact your insurer to check your insurance cover and start your insurance claim
• Understand how your policy defines flood, storm, or rainwater damage
• Understand what your insurer will pay for under your indemnity or replacement cover and the consequences of underinsurance or over insurance.
• Know your entitlements to Additional Benefits under your policy
• Understand what happens after you make an insurance claim
• If your claim is refused or is taking too long follow-up with your insurance company and maybe get some legal advice

QBE and IAG, which operates through NRMA Insurance, CGU Insurance, WFI Insurance and Coles Insurance, have assigned claims staff to help customers affected by the flooding.

More than 2,100 claims have been lodged with IAG as of Sunday evening, covering mainly property damage.

For any upcoming work, households should always contact their insurer to make sure the work is being carried out by a reputable company that guarantees its work to avoid scammers.