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The funds will enable the organisation’s disaster relief and recovery teams to continue providing psychological first aid and other vital support in the waterlogged region.
“Our thoughts are with the individuals, families, and businesses who have been impacted by the catastrophic events in north Queensland,” said Vivek Bhatia, QBE Australia Pacific CEO. “We know when the rain hits it’s just the beginning and there’s a great deal to do to get these communities back on their feet and relief from organisations like the Red Cross is critical to aid response and recovery.”
Bhatia said the insurer had enacted its catastrophe management plan, bolstering claims teams and response efforts over the last two weeks to support impacted customers.
“Our catastrophe management plan has been activated and we’re processing claims from customers impacted in north Queensland as a priority, with additional team members in place to take calls and support lodgement,” Bhatia said. “We’ve also mobilised our assessors and tradespeople and have people on the ground in Townsville to provide support to our customers.”
The insurer urged impacted customers to prioritise their safety as they inspect damage to their properties and to lodge their claims as soon as possible.
“We’ll continue to work closely with our customers throughout the claims process to get them back on their feet – assessing damage and actioning repairs as soon as it’s safe and possible,” Bhatia said.
To make a claim, customers insured directly with QBE can call on 133 QBE (133 723), while customers who have bought policies through an intermediary or financial institution can contact them or QBE directly on 1800 023 387.
