Severe Storm in New South Wales Declared a Significant Event by Insurance Council of Australia
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The Hawkesbury-Nepean and Illawarra regions of New South Wales were most badly affected by the storm, which also brought strong winds, flash flooding, and heavy rainfall.
Up until now, insurers have fielded 11,527 claims, the majority of which have been for building and contents damage brought on by wind and heavy rain, which causes gutters to overflow and flash flooding.
It is premature to estimate the insurance damage bill at this point.
From Wednesday, April 3, 2024, to Monday, April 8, 2024, insurers' responses to customers affected by the event will be intensified thanks to the ICA's extreme management procedures.
ICA CEO Andrew Hall said The summer of 2023-24 saw a number of extreme weather events across the east coast, with two declared catastrophes including a cyclone and severe storms and flooding in Queensland.
As we move into autumn the impact of extreme weather continues with the storm that largely impacted New South Wales last Friday and Saturday.
Insurers are already on the ground in impacted areas assisting customers and responding to claims and will be at Recovery Centres in the Illawarra and Hawksbury-Nepean over the next three days.
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Under a ‘Significant Event’ declaration:
• The ICA commences its claims data collection, analysis, and reporting processes in consultation with members.
• ICA representatives will continue to work with government and agencies to understand impacts on the community and ensure affected residents receive assistance.
If property or a vehicle have been impacted, customers are advised to contact their insurer as soon as possible to commence the claims process even if they do not know the full extent of damage.
Insurance customers are not required to keep destroyed property, including carpets and furnishings, and should instead take photos, note any identifying information, and keep materials samples.
New data also released today shows that losses from declared insurance catastrophes this summer have reached close to $1.6 billion, with the cost of the Christmas Storms now exceeding $1.1 billion.
• Ex-TC Jasper (CAT 232): $296 million incurred from nearly 10,000 claims.
• Christmas Storms (CAT 233): $1.1 billion incurred from nearly 95,000 claims.
• Valentines' Day storms (SE 241): $162 million incurred from nearly 25,000 claims.
Following the most recent natural disaster across NSW east where heavy rains and floods hammered vast regions of NSW, homeowners, businesses, commercial and rural property owners are being warned to ensure they are aware that asbestos might be present in damaged properties and how to manage it.
The National Asbestos Awareness Campaign Ambassador, Cherie Barber, is advising individuals affected to be cautious of the risks associated with damaged asbestos-containing materials that may be discovered in residences, buildings, or other structures, as well as flood debris that may have washed onto their properties.
"Asbestos-containing materials can become eroded, disturbed, broken, or friable when homes and other buildings containing asbestos are damaged or destroyed during floods, wind, and storms. If these materials aren't managed correctly and disposed of safely, these materials can pose a health risk to homeowners, property owners, property managers, and the community," Ms. Barber stated.
"Prior to starting the cleanup, property owners should visit www.asbestosawareness.com.au to learn how to safely identify and manage asbestos for the benefit of themselves, their families, and the community.
For vital information regarding asbestos, she advised people to get in touch with their local council or emergency services. If asbestos removal is necessary, she advised people to use only certified professionals because the risks involved are too great.
More than 3000 building and decorator products that were produced using asbestos can still be found in any brick, weatherboard, clad, or fibro home that was constructed or remodelled before 1990. It was everywhere and could be found in a variety of forms, such as flat or corrugated sheets (fibro), which were used for roofing, walls, and ceilings, or in products like eaves, pipes, electrical conduit, wall and floor tiles, and other buildings like sheds and garages.
While original "weekenders or shacks" in many coastal regions severely affected by the current flood disaster were frequently built with flat and corrugated (fibro) sheeting for both the exterior and interior walls and ceilings, homes, fences, storage sheds, chicken sheds, outhouses, and stock sheds in rural and regional areas may have been built with asbestos-containing materials.
Before December 2003, asbestos was also frequently used in the construction of commercial and non-residential properties, such as stores or public buildings.
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