The Insurance Council of Australia expanded the dates and postcodes covered by the recent severe storm and hail declaration, now capturing every postcode in Queensland and New South Wales from 20 to 27 November 2025. The event, Cat 255, will be referred to as the “Qld and NSW Severe Storms and Hail” event going forward.
Insurers have already received more than 44,600 claims tied to the system, which hammered home, motor and commercial property across the east coast for more than a week.
By broadening the definition, the ICA aims to make sure all affected customers fall within the declaration and can access whatever additional support they need.
According to Beinsure analysts, the scale and spread of the storms made piecemeal boundaries almost impossible to maintain.
The ICA’s Catastrophe declaration serves to escalate and prioritise the insurance industry’s response for affected policyholders.
Under the Catastrophe declaration:
- Claims from affected policyholders will be given priority by insurers.
- Claims will be triaged to direct urgent assistance to the worst-impacted property owners.
- ICA representatives will be mobilised to work with local agencies and services and affected policyholders.
- Insurers will mobilise disaster response specialists to assist affected customers with claims and assessments.
- An industry taskforce is established to identify and address issues arising from this catastrophe.
Insurers are also closely monitoring and prioritising claims across the Northern Territory and Western Australia as a result of Tropical Cyclone Fina. Despite low claims volumes to date, insurers stand ready to support impacted customers.
Insurers have set up on-the-ground teams in Bribie Island, Logan and Brisbane, with support expanding into Moreton Bay.
As damage assessments continue and claims keep rising, the ICA will work with insurers to identify any regions that might need dedicated in-person help.
Policyholders with unreported damage are urged to contact their insurer and start the claims process rather than waiting for the weather to settle.
ICA CEO Andrew Hall said the extension reflects the severity of the ongoing weather system. Some communities have been hit repeatedly by different storm cells, leaving everything from hail-pocked vehicles to ripped-off roofing.
He stressed that insurers are prioritising claims from this event and encouraged anyone affected to lodge quickly so repairs and recovery can begin.
The extension of our Insurance Catastrophe Declaration points to the severity of this ongoing extreme weather that continues to impact widespread regions across both Queensland and New South Wales.
Andrew Hall, ICA CEO
“We also acknowledge that some policyholders face a compounding impact, as their regions have been hit multiple times by different storms during this period, with damage ranging from hail dents on motor vehicles to roofs torn off by strong winds,” Andrew Hall sayd.
“Insurers are prioritising claims arising from this event and I encourage anyone who is yet to make a claim to reach out to their insurer”.
Disaster chasers are opportunistic individuals who may offer quick-fix cleanup, repairs, and inspections, often demanding upfront cash payments for shoddy or incomplete work.
Some disaster chasers pressure homeowners to sign a contract on the spot for future repair work and may promise their insurer will pay.
This can leave the homeowner liable to pay a commission or inflated repair bills not covered by their insurance policy, as insurers will only pay for approved work that is covered by a policy.
Residents who believe they may have been approached by or signed with a disaster chaser should seek guidance from their insurer.
