The extreme rainfall first landed on southeast Qld, before the devastating storm rolled south reaching some areas of NSW. As a result, Suncorp put a dedicated team on standby to help flood-impacted customers once the water has receded and it is safe to do so.
In addition, Suncorp CEO Steve Johnston has urged customers to focus on staying safe and follow the emergency services' directions as the wet weather continues and the insurer carefully monitors the situation.
“Right now, safety is the number one priority. Many roads and homes remain flooded, so we must wait until it is safe to evaluate the impact,” Johnston said. “We are ready to handle any resulting claims. This includes having our mobile Customer Support Teams on alert and ready to be deployed into communities.”
Once floodwaters recede, Suncorp will arrange emergency repairs, organise temporary accommodation for customers whose homes have been severely damaged by the weather event, and provide cash payments to customers for emergency purchases.
“If you can safely access your home, and it has been damaged, it is easy to lodge online for any of our brands, including Suncorp Insurance, AAMI and GIO,” Johnston said.
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), which has been calling for Australian governments to double Federal funding to make the country more resilient to extreme weather, reported that insurers had received nearly 15,000 claims from policyholders related to the extreme weather event since February 21.
Considering the significant number of affected customers, Suncorp Bank is offering a disaster relief package to personal and business customers impacted by current weather events. They can contact the bank on 13 11 55 to discuss options available to them.
The insurer also acknowledged the death of an SES volunteer while responding to a call for assistance in Coolana overnight.
“I know I speak on behalf of every employee when I say Suncorp is truly saddened by this news. It is another reminder of how heroic SES volunteers are,” Johnston said. “Suncorp is proud partners with the Queensland SES, and our thoughts are with the volunteer's family, friends, colleagues, and the whole SES community during this difficult time.”
