Beware of disaster chasers and contact your insurance provider or broker

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has warned residents in Ipswich, Queensland to be aware of disaster chasers operating in their community eleven months after last year’s Halloween hailstorm.

Some disaster chasers pressure homeowners to sign a contract on the spot for future repair work and may promise their insurer will pay. This can leave the homeowner liable to pay a commission or inflated repair bills not covered by their insurance policy, as insurers will only pay for approved work that is covered by a policy.

Residents who believe they may have been approached by or signed with a disaster chaser should seek guidance from their insurance broker or insurer. The ICA and insurers are going to host one-on-one consultations in Springfield Lakes for local customers affected by the Halloween hailstorm.

ICA CEO Andrew Hall said, “The upcoming October customer consultations are an opportunity for the ICA and insurers to assist property owners with the progress of their claim and talk through any situations involving disaster chaser activity.”

“Insurers have been working hard to resolve a backlog of claims related to last year’s devastating hailstorms, with almost 80 percent of claims now closed. Insurers have received more than 43,200 claims, with the current estimated loss of $1.03 billion.”

These personal consultations are an opportunity for customers to speak with their insurer’s claims team about their own claims.

What: Customer consultations with insurers or the ICA natural disaster recovery team
When: Wednesday 6 October 2021 from 9 am to 8 pm
Where: Springlake Hotel, 1 Springfield Lakes Blvd, Springfield Lakes
How: Book online here.

This is a COVID-safe event, registration is essential for customer consultations with insurers.