As residents across South East Queensland and northern New South Wales begin repairing homes and replacing damaged vehicles following Cyclone Alfred, insurance brokers are being urged to warn clients about an emerging threat: disaster chasers.
According to NRMA Insurance, these operators often arrive in storm-hit communities within days of a natural disaster, promising to expedite the insurance process or inflate payouts in exchange for a cut of the claim or upfront payment. NRMA Insurance CEO Julie Batch said these schemes are deliberately designed to take advantage of people when they’re most vulnerable.
“It’s a sad reality that disaster chasers mobilise quickly after an extreme weather event like ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and seek to take advantage of already distressed and vulnerable people,” Batch said.
Clients may encounter these operators at their doorstep, offering urgent services and pressuring them to sign contracts immediately. In some instances, they demand payment upfront, fail to complete the work, or disappear entirely. Even when repairs are carried out, the quality of work is often poor and not backed by insurance guarantees - leaving homeowners to deal with the consequences.
There have also been cases of chasers fabricating documents and redirecting insurance payouts by misrepresenting bank account details.
NRMA Insurance is encouraging brokers to remind clients that assessors or repair teams will only visit after a claim has been lodged and confirmed. In addition, clients should always verify the identity of anyone claiming to be sent by their insurer and report any suspicious behaviour.
“You can lodge your claim with NRMA Insurance online or over the phone at a Recovery Centre or via one of our mobile service vehicles. If you have concerns about the authenticity of any trades people, assessors or builders claiming to act on behalf of NRMA Insurance, please contact us immediately,” Batch said.
