The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and insurers will revisit Rochester, Victoria for a second round of in-person meetings with flood-affected residents.
The consultations will enable Rochester residents impacted by the October 2022 flood to discuss the progress of their claims with their insurer.
The ICA and insurers will be at Rochester after Easter, specifically:
The ICA revealed that the devastating floods resulted in 12,936 claims across Victoria since October, with claims continuing to be lodged six months on. Property accounted for 8,393 claims and motor vehicles 1,585. The event resulted in an incurred loss value of $551.6 million.
“The destructive severe flood and resulting damage that occurred late last year created chaos and disruption to the town of Rochester and the surrounding communities,” ICA CEO Fiona Cameron said. “The ICA and insurers are heading back to Rochester for customer consultations, enabling customers to meet directly with their insurer to discuss all aspects of their claim.”
In February 2023, several residents in Rochester revealed that they were still battling their insurers for claims while waiting for their homes to be rebuilt.
In a previous statement, the ICA said it could not comment on individual claims. However, it reminded flood-affected customers to “use the internal and external complaints processes available to all insurance customers.”
The representative body further noted that each insurer had underwriting criteria to determine the risk of individual policies, for new policies and renewals, and across policy categories.
