The ICA’s second annual Insurance Catastrophe Resilience Report uses insurer data and insights to review the last 12 months of extreme weather events and advocate for changes to reduce the impact of future events.
Community consultation
ICA and insurers host forums to support south east Queenslanders
ICA and insurers host forums to support south east Queenslanders
News release
Friday, 19 January 2024
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) will host community information forums and insurer consultations in three south-east Queensland communities impacted by the Christmas to New Year storms, later this month.
The forums and in-person consultations, to be held from 31 January to 2 February, will be held in Upper Coomera, Jimboomba and Tamborine Mountain, providing information and support for customers impacted by the storms.
The forums give policyholders an opportunity to meet in-person with their insurer, as well as provide useful information on the claims process and complaints avenues.
Upper Coomera Centre - Multipurpose Hall: Wednesday, 31 January
- Consultations: 12pm to 5pm
- Townhall: 6pm
Jimboomba Community and District Hall: Thursday, 1 February
- Consultations: 12pm to 5pm
- Townhall: 6pm
Vonda Youngman Centre: Friday, 2 February
- Consultations: 12pm to 5pm
- Townhall: 6pm
Representatives from various insurance companies will be present to answer questions and provide individual assistance.
Insurance customers can also seek advice from Legal Aid and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), who will also be present.
Policyholders in surrounding areas are encouraged to book an appointment. To check availability and to book, visit www.insurancecouncil.com.au/SEQBookings
Quote attributable to ICA CEO Andrew Hall:
These storms caused significant damage across the Gold Coast hinterland and Scenic Rim region, resulting in more than 45,000 insurance claims, and the recovery has been challenging due to infrastructure damage.
These forums offer a valuable opportunity for policyholders to connect directly with their insurer, learn about the claims process, and access resources to navigate their recovery.
The ICA and insurers are committed to supporting insurance customers through this difficult time.
Our representatives will be available at the forums to provide assistance and ensure everyone receives the support they need.
Book an appointment for insurer consultations and townhall in far north Queensland
Insurers supporting customers in far north Queensland
News release
Tuesday, 11 January 2024
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and insurers will be in far north Queensland later this month to provide additional support for customers following Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
In-person consultations will be available in Port Douglas on Tuesday 23 January and in Cairns on Wednesday 24 January and include a community townhall and one-on-one meetings with insurers.
Since the storm and flood on 10 December 2023 insurers and the ICA have been in the area supporting customers directly and in attendance at recovery centres alongside government and other support agencies.
The insurer-run consultations and townhalls are part of the normal catastrophe declaration process and will give customers the opportunity to hear more about the claims process generally as well as speak with their insurer directly about their claim.
Port Douglas Community Hall: Tuesday, 23 January
- Consultations: 12pm to 5pm
- Townhall: 6pm
Brothers Leagues Club Cairns: Wednesday, 24 January
- Consultations: 12pm to 5pm
- Townhall: 6pm
Booking details are now available and policyholders are encouraged to book an appointment at www.insurancecouncil.com.au/FNQBookings
In the meantime, impacted policyholders can contact their insurer at any stage as they commence or continue their claims process.
To date, insurers have received more than 6,924 claims, including 72 per cent property claims, 17 per cent motor claims and nine per cent commercial claims.
As the recovery process continues and access to cut-off areas is restored, the ICA is reminding customers that they are not required to keep destroyed property, including wet carpet and furnishings, that may pose a health risk.
Instead, they should document the damage with photos and videos, note any identifying information, and keep material samples.
Quote attributable to ICA CEO Andrew Hall:
We know the damage from severe weather events extends well beyond the physical loss of property and assets, with the human and emotional impact often hitting hardest.
It is for this very reason the ICA and insurers are committed to being present and on the ground to support policyholders as they navigate this difficult time, with consultations and townhalls providing information and assistance directly to those impacted.
Insurers continue to work alongside local, State and Federal Government stakeholders and agencies to resolve any issues as soon they become known.
Insurers supporting customers in far north Queensland
Insurers supporting customers in far north Queensland
News release
Wednesday, 10 January 2024
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and insurers will be in far north Queensland later this month to provide additional support for customers following Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
In-person consultations will be available in Port Douglas on Tuesday 23 January and in Cairns on Wednesday 24 January and include a community townhall and one-on-one meetings with insurers.
Since the storm and flood on 10 December 2023 insurers and the ICA have been in the area supporting customers directly and in attendance at recovery centres alongside government and other support agencies.
The insurer-run consultations and townhalls are part of the normal catastrophe declaration process and will give customers the opportunity to hear more about the claims process generally as well as speak with their insurer directly about their claim.
The consultations will take place at:
- Port Douglas Community Hall, 23 January
- Brothers Leagues Club Cairns, 24 January
Bookings will be available in coming days.
In the meantime, impacted policyholders can contact their insurer at any stage as they commence or continue their claims process.
To date, insurers have received more than 6,300 claims, including 72 per cent property claims, 17 per cent motor claims and nine per cent commercial claims.
As the recovery process continues and access to cut-off areas is restored, the ICA is reminding customers that they are not required to keep destroyed property, including wet carpet and furnishings, that may pose a health risk.
Instead, they should document the damage with photos and videos, note any identifying information, and keep material samples.
Quote attributable to ICA CEO Andrew Hall:
We know the damage from severe weather events extends well beyond the physical loss of property and assets, with the human and emotional impact often hitting hardest.
It is for this very reason the ICA and insurers are committed to being present and on the ground to support policyholders as they navigate this difficult time, with consultations and townhalls providing information and assistance directly to those impacted.
Insurers continue to work alongside local, State and Federal Government stakeholders and agencies to resolve any issues as soon they become known.
Support is available
Support is available
During and in the aftermath of a catastrophe, your safety and wellbeing is paramount and there are resources available to support you.
- Red cross www.redcross.org.au/emergencies
- Lifeline www.lifeline.org.au
- Financial Counselling Australia: www.financialcounsellingaustralia.org.au
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) - www.afca.org.au
- Your insurer - you can contact your insurer to commence the claims process even if you don't know the full-extent of damage. You can also contact your insurer at any stage during the claims process.
Disaster recovery
- National Emergency Management Agency– www.nema.gov.au
- Queensland Disaster Support and Recovery
- NSW Disaster Customer Care
- Victoria Emergency Recovery
- South Australia Disaster Recovery
- Western Australian DFES Recovery
- Tasmania Disaster Relief and Recovery
- Secure NT
Free legal advice: Legal Aid in your state
- Queensland - www.legalaid.qld.gov.au
- NSW - www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au
- Tasmania - www.legalaid.tas.gov.au
- Victoria - www.legalaid.vic.gov.au
- South Australia – www.lsc.sa.gov.au
- Northern Territory - www.legalaid.nt.gov.au
Prioritise your safety & wellbeing
Your insurer can help you
Additional support is available
Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice
Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice
News release
Tuesday, 14 November 2023
An Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice will be undertaken by an eminent three-person panel with backgrounds in consumer advocacy, financial regulation and the insurance industry, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) announced today.
The Code sets out the minimum standards of service and conduct that general insurers must meet in their dealings with customers and must be independently reviewed every three years.
The 2023 review will be conducted by former APRA Deputy Chair Helen Rowell (panel chair), consumer expert Gerard Brody, and industry expert Paul Muir (bios attached).
The Terms of Reference for the panel set out the review’s overarching principle of maintaining and enhancing consumer protections, along with Code modernisation, enhancement of customer experience, accessibility, effectiveness and efficiency, and providing customer value.
The review will be conducted in two phases to align with any recommendations from the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 floods.
The first phase will focus on general topics that are not directly related to the floods, such as support for vulnerable customers and the interaction between the Code and existing laws, and governance, with initial findings and recommendations to be delivered by 30 June 2024.
The second phase will focus on flood related topics, such as the responses required when a catastrophe occurs, and will deliver findings by 30 June 2025.
The panel will also consider a key recommendation from Deloitte’s review of the insurance industry’s response to the 2022 floods, commissioned by the ICA and released last month, that the Extraordinary Catastrophe definition in the General Insurance Code of Practice be reworked.
The Review Panel will consult key stakeholders, including the general insurance industry, ASIC, APRA AFCA, the Code Governance Committee, and consumer representatives.
Comment attributable to Andrew Hall, CEO Insurance Council of Australia:
The ICA and insurers look forward to working with the review panel to ensure that our industry Code remains relevant and effective in supporting and protecting customers.
Each of the three-person panel brings considerable experience and has been appointed in recognition of the diversity of skills and background needed to inform an independent review, and I want to thank them in advance for their willingness to undertake this important task.
I know the panel will conduct a comprehensive and robust review of the Code, and that their findings and recommendations will help make the Code even more effective in supporting and protecting consumers.
For more information about the Review, see the Independent Code Review Terms of Reference.
About the Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice panel
Former APRA Deputy Chair Helen Rowell (panel chair)
Helen Rowell was most recently the Deputy Chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), having spent the prior 21 years lifting standards of practice and leading major reforms across the superannuation and insurance industries. She has represented APRA on the International Association of Insurance Supervisors Executive Committee, as President of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors, on the Financial Security Board’s Supervisory Intensity and Effectiveness Group and as co-Chair of the Joint Forum Financial Conglomerates Committee. Prior to joining APRA in 2002, Helen was a partner at the international consulting firm Towers Perrin and President of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.
Consumer expert, Gerard Brody
Gerard Brody has worked as a consumer advocate and lawyer for more than 20 years, and has broad policy, regulatory, legal and consumer experience. Gerard was CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, a leading consumer advocacy organisation that provides legal assistance and financial counselling, for 10 years until February 2023. He has served on the board of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria between 2014 and 2023, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman since 2022, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority since May 2023 and the Victorian Board of the Medical Board of Australia since August 2023. Gerard is also Chair of Community Legal Centres Australia, the peak body for community legal centres, and Chair of the Consumers’ Federation of Australia, the peak body for consumer organisations in Australia.
Industry expert, Paul Muir
Paul Muir has more than 38 years of experience in the insurance sector and is currently an Industry Panel Member for the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) and Managing Director and founder of Compliance Advocacy Solutions, a specialist provider of compliance services to the insurance industry. Prior to this, Paul held senior executive roles in compliance, risk, governance and assurance at a leading Australian insurer. Paul has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and is a Fellow ANZIIF.
