July 10, 2019
RACQ has issued a warning to South Burnett and Gympie residents to be on the alert for opportunistic “storm chasers” who have been knocking on doors trying to tempt people into lodging dodgy insurance claims.
Eight months after severe storms moved through the Kingaroy and Gympie regions, the insurer says it has received an unprecedented number of claims for property damage when compared with the normal pattern from other catastrophic weather events in Queensland over the past five years.
RACQ spokesperson Paul Turner said members had contacted the Club concerned about “door knockers” and the number of roof replacements and claims they considered to be frivolous.
“We’re seeing a huge number of claims come in a long time after the event and we’re hearing from our members who are worried these storm chasers are trying to take advantage of them and make a buck,” Mr Turner said.
“We don’t want our members to be caught out signing a contract with a third party and then have to pay for expensive repairs themselves if their claim isn’t accepted. We’re also worried about the impact on affordability of insurance for the broader community as a result.
“We welcome legitimate claims, that’s why insurance exists. It’s there to ensure people are safe and able to return to their normal lives after an event, but unfortunately when some people make unnecessary claims, it can have a negative impact on everyone.”
Mr Turner said RACQ and global reinsurers were especially questioning the anomaly in claims data from the Gympie area following the storm.
“As a result of this event, we may need to review our product offering and premiums for the area and apply additional diligence to claims,” he said.
“We have a responsibility to protect our members and to provide fair and affordable insurance cover for all, which is why we’re speaking up about this issue.
“We’re asking our members not to engage with third-party contractors and to call their insurer first so they can protect themselves, and what they pay for insurance, in the long run.”
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