The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has labelled the severe weather conditions that besieged New South Wales (NSW) over the past weekend as a “Significant Event”.
Characterised by relentless rains, powerful gusts, and sudden flooding, this storm had a pronounced effect on the Hawkesbury-Nepean and Illawarra areas. As a consequence, insurers have logged 11,527 claims thus far, largely due to the adverse effects of wind and rainfall, which led to overflowing gutters and unexpected floodwaters. The financial toll of these damages on the insurance industry has yet to be determined.
Following the declaration, the ICA has activated emergency response measures to amplify support for those affected from April 3 to 8, 2024. This move includes commencing the ICA’s comprehensive process for collecting, analysing, and reporting on claims data in collaboration with its member organisations.
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The ICA is also engaging with governmental and community agencies to fully comprehend the storm’s impact and to facilitate aid for those in need.
The ICA advises homeowners and vehicle owners impacted by the storm to initiate contact with their insurance providers without delay, even if the extent of the damage is not fully known. They are encouraged not to retain damaged possessions like carpets and home furnishings but to document these items through photographs, identify any distinguishing features, and keep samples of the materials for insurance purposes.
“As we move into autumn, the impact of extreme weather continues with the storm that largely impacted New South Wales last Friday and Saturday,” said ICA CEO Andrew Hall. “Insurers are already on the ground in impacted areas assisting customers and responding to claims and will be at recovery centres in the Illawarra and Hawksbury-Nepean over the next three days.”
Some insurers have already started supporting their storm-affected customers. IAG, for example, has deployed its claims teams, assessors, and builders.
