How to Prepare an Insurance Claim After Extreme Weather Damage

In March 2025, a robust climate occasion left elements of southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales dealing with an enormous clean-up. Strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding induced widespread harm to properties and companies, leaving many Australians coping with the aftermath. If your property has been affected by excessive climate harm, it’s vital to comply with the suitable steps when making an insurance coverage declare to make sure you get the help and compensation you want.

A step-by-step-guide to insurance coverage claims

Dealing with the aftermath of an excessive climate occasion can really feel overwhelming. Knowing what to do subsequent could make an enormous distinction. By following the suitable steps, you assist guarantee your declare is processed easily, so you can begin to restore and rebuild as quickly as attainable.

Ensure security first

Safety is your primary precedence! Don’t do something that places anybody in danger.
Be conscious {of electrical} hazards and fallen powerlines in your space. Never method or try to transfer fallen wires, even when they seem inactive.
If water has entered your property, don’t activate the electrical energy till it’s been inspected by an electrician.
Don’t drive your car if it’s suffered water harm.
Report any hazards and risks to emergency providers. For non-life threatening flood and storm emergency help throughout extreme climate occasions name 132500, go to 132500.qld.gov.au or use the SES Assistance QLD App.
Contact your insurance coverage supplier as quickly as attainable to begin a declare and get steerage on the claims course of.

Document the harm

Once it’s protected to achieve this, completely examine your property, all the time being conscious of you and your loved ones’s security.
Before you begin the clean-up, doc the harm with images and movies to help your insurance coverage declare.
Take images earlier than eradicating any water broken gadgets that will pose a well being threat.
Make an inventory of broken gadgets, together with the model, mannequin and serial quantity if attainable.
Don’t throw away something that could possibly be repaired except it poses a well being threat.
Speak to your insurer earlier than you authorise any constructing work, together with emergency repairs, and ask for the insurer’s permission in writing, as unauthorised work is probably not lined by your coverage.

Contact your insurance coverage supplier or dealer 

Most commonplace house and contents insurance policies in Australia cowl harm attributable to cyclones. Contact your insurer to be clear on what you’re lined for.
Many insurers provide on-line or telephone declare lodgement choices. Be ready for potential delays due to excessive declare volumes or accessibility points in affected areas.
To lodge a declare, you’ll want:

The date when the incident occurred and an approximate time.
A short description of what occurred and what has been broken.
If the property requires a “makesafe” (non permanent repairs to forestall additional harm/make sure the property is protected & safe), the Insurer would require a contact title and variety of the coverage holder. The insurer will triage these requests and prepare emergency repairs as soon as it’s protected to achieve this.

Contact Astute Insurance on 07 3368 2106 to get assist managing your declare.
You can even contact your insurer immediately by telephone or electronic mail:

If you’ll be able to’t bear in mind who you’re insured with, verify your financial institution statements (together with on-line or through an app) to your premium funds, or name the Insurance Council of Australia’s catastrophe insurance coverage hotline on 1800 734 621. 

Get help and keep knowledgeable

Keep in contact together with your insurer or insurance coverage dealer all through the claims course of.
Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification should you’re unsure about one thing.
If you’re involved about assembly any mortgage repayments, contact your lender as quickly as attainable to talk about help that is perhaps accessible to you.
If you want help with money owed, contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
Lastly, be cautious of anybody who asks for cost up-front. Scammers typically goal individuals who have been affected by pure disasters, claiming to assist establish harm to your property with a free inspection.

If you’ve got any questions on insurance coverage otherwise you need assistance navigating your insurance coverage declare, attain out to the staff at Astute Insurance – name 07 3368 2106 to communicate to an Astute Insurance dealer.

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