IAG has activated its Major Event Command Centre and sent claims teams into southeast Queensland. A supercell storm brought giant hail, destructive winds and heavy rain across Logan and northern New South Wales on Wednesday afternoon and night.
Partner builders have been carrying out emergency make-safe repairs on some of the worst-hit homes since Wednesday night, the insurer said. It is also sending mobile Help Response Vehicles to Logan.
IAG executive general manager of claims Luke Gallagher (pictured) said the insurer had mobilised claims consultants, assessors and partner builders and repairers.
“If you’ve been impacted, contact your insurer as soon as possible,” said Gallagher.
He said IAG could arrange emergency make-safe repairs and temporary accommodation for affected customers.
The storm crossed the border ranges on Wednesday afternoon before moving across Logan and into the Moreton Bay area. Logan Village recorded 59mm of rain in 30 minutes. Energex said more than 400 powerlines came down across the southeast, 85% of them in Logan and the Scenic Rim. It identified Jimboomba, Logan Village and the North Maclean–Kingston area as the worst-affected areas. Tens of thousands of properties lost power.
The threat has not passed. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that severe thunderstorms could redevelop across southeast Queensland and northeast NSW from Thursday afternoon, bringing more giant hail, damaging winds and flash flooding. Further storms are possible over the weekend.
The storm has hit some of the same suburbs affected by last November’s hailstorm. Insurance Council of Australia data shows that event, declared Catastrophe 255, has generated close to 99,000 claims and is the industry’s costliest declared extreme weather event of 2025–26. Logan was among the hardest-hit areas then, along with Bribie Island and Brisbane’s eastern suburbs.
As of Thursday morning, the Insurance Council had not declared the latest storms a catastrophe or significant event. Earlier this month, storms in western Sydney also came without a declaration.
For brokers with clients in Logan, the Scenic Rim and the Gold Coast hinterland, the early priority is getting claims lodged and make-safe work arranged before the next round of storms arrives. Some properties may still have repairs outstanding from last year’s event, and a second hit could complicate how claims are assessed, particularly where earlier damage has not been fully fixed.
