Flood victims start heading home after 'worst ever' event

Flood victims start heading home after ‘worst ever’ event

19 August 2022

Suncorp says customers who suffered major damage in the NSW/Queensland flood catastrophe are starting to return to their repaired homes.

The insurer says it has received more than 50,000 home, motor, and commercial claims – making the floods the “largest set of weather events Suncorp Group has faced”.

“The East Coast flood and storm event was of a scale we rarely see and it certainly has had an enormous impact on so many of our customers,” Head of Flood Response and Event Claims Cath Stewart said.

“It’s a huge task, but with a dedicated Flood Response team, a strong recruitment drive, close collaboration with local builders, and a commitment to get customers back on their feet across impacted areas, Suncorp’s number one priority is helping our customers through this challenging time.

“The floods affected areas from Maryborough all the way to Victoria, and along with impacts from covid and shortages on building materials, recovery isn’t quite as straightforward as we’d like to see, but we’re pleased to work with builders … to help our customers get back to their homes as quickly as possible.”

Ms Stewart says there’s still a long way to go, but the Suncorp team and their building partners are committed to being here “until the last customer returns home”.

“It’s a timely reminder that rebuilding after devastating weather events is a collective and community effort and we are committed to making sure our impacted customers are coming home to high quality repairs and safe and healthy homes,” she said.

The latest Insurance Council of Australia statistics show 230,000 claims from the event, with total insured losses at $5.13 billion. Just over 36% of claims have been closed.