As the clean-up from the weekend's destructive storms begins, The Insurance Council of Australia has declared an insurance catastrophe.
Beachfront properties are not generally insured if the sea encroaches on the land in a storm surge. But questions about where the beach ends and property begins could be problematic in assessing the damage from the weekend's storms.
As the insurance industry braces for huge payouts, The Insurance Council of Australia has declared an insurance catastrophe. The ICA says it had received 11,150 claims across Queensland and New South Wales as of Monday afternoon, and is estimating insured losses of $38 million.
The ICA's acting CEO, Karl Sullivan said declaring a catastrophe enables insurers to best manage responses to the storms.
"The ICA and its members are liaising with state governments, agencies and the emergency services in response to the damage caused by these storms," he said.
The ICA says it expects the number of claims to continue rising in the coming days, and is also preparing to help policyholders in Victoria and Tasmania as the storm moves south.
The catastrophe declaration activates a disaster hotline, and enables ICA staff to work directly with policyholders.
"So far, most claims concern typical storm damage, such as roof and gutter damage, and damage due to fallen trees. There are also reports of cars being flooded in some locations," said Sullivan.
The ICA warns those affected to speak to insurers before beginning emergency repairs, as unauthorised work may not be covered, and to photograph damage and keep samples of damaged goods to support claims.