Tuesday, 12 December 2023
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) today said insurers are on standby to respond to Cyclone Jasper as the category two system moves towards the Queensland coastline near Cairns.
Disaster response specialists are on standby, and the Insurance Council is liaising with State Government, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Reconstruction Authority, and the National Emergency Management Agency in preparation.
The ICA and insurers have been actively monitoring Cyclone Jasper over the last week, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting the cyclone will reach landfall on Wednesday.
While cyclones are inherently unpredictable, Cyclone Jasper is expected to cause extremely strong winds, heavy rain, and storm surge, with severe weather warnings already in place from Cape Melville to Townsville.
In anticipation insurers have already activated their emergency response procedures and stand ready to support and prioritise customers in impacted communities.
Where possible and only if it is safe to do so, communities in the Bureau’s Cyclone Jasper warning region can prepare by:
- Monitoring weather conditions and following advice from emergency services.
- Clearing their property and gutters from loose material that possibly cause injury or damage during extreme winds or heavy rain.
- Securing boats or vehicles and moving their car under cover.
- For more information on safety and preparing for a cyclone, follow Queensland Reconstruction Authority and Queensland Fire and Emergency services.
Quote attributable to ICA CEO Andrew Hall:
The safety and wellbeing of the community is of paramount importance and while it is still too soon to determine the intensity and trajectory of Cyclone Jasper, insurers stand ready to support customers and to help alleviate the stress and uncertainty associated with this event.
Insurers have placed disaster response specialists on standby to move into affected communities and assist customers with claims as needed.
This remains an unfolding and unpredictable weather event and insurers’ priority is community safety. We strongly encourage local communities to monitor weather conditions and listen to emergency services for preparation and evacuation direction.
Image Source: Windy.com
