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Extreme Weather

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1300 663 464
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1800 007 007
Have you suffered damage to your home, contents or motor vehicles after an extreme weather event? Whether you have been affected by a cyclone, bushfire, hailstorm, earthquake or flood, Financial Rights has information that can assist with insurance questions and related disputes. Choose from the fact sheets below for legal information, advice and assistance.
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Leslie’s Story: Bushfires

Leslie’s home, which was insured for $600,000, was destroyed in the 2021 bushfires. She was offered a cash settlement of $500,000 based on the assessor’s estimate for rebuilding. Leslie accepted and signed release papers. Leslie spent money on architects and engineers reports and discovered it would cost more to rebuild than the insurer assessed.

Financial Rights helped negotiate additional payments to reach the full sum insured plus and extra benefit to cover the cost of the professional reports.

Helicopter dumping water on bushfire

Leslie's Story

Debt Problem Solver

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Motor Vehicle Accident Problem Solver

Motor Vehicle Accident
Problem Solver

Answer a few questions to identify your rights and what steps to take after a car accident.
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When to get help

Making an insurance claim can be stressful, particularly when you have been involved in a bushfire or flood. Insurance companies must treat you fairly and with compassion. If you recognise any of these common problems below, read through the fact sheets and use the sample letters selected. Give us a call if you don’t know where to start or can’t find a solution for your problem. Our Extreme Weather Insurance Checklist might also help. Some of the insurance issues you might be experiencing include:

  • You’re running out of temporary accommodation, or constantly being moved to different places
  • You don’t know what’s happening with your claim and there are delays
  • The insurer isn’t accepting all or part of your claim, then saying that exclusions apply
  • Confusion over rainwater runoff versus flood damage.
  • Who pays for the damage from a tree falling during a storm?
  • Experiencing financial hardship after an extreme weather event.

Fact Sheets

These fact sheets will give more detailed legal information about insurance after an extreme weather event – such as bushfires or floods.

Sample Letters

You can use these sample letters to help you get in touch with your insurance when there is a problem.

External Resources

 

Exposed: Insurance problems after extreme weather events

This report shares data collected during an 18-month period as well as insights regarding experiences with extreme weather events and insurance from our advice and casework.

 

Financial Counselling Australia coordinates the National Debt Helpline (NDH), which consists of a national phone service operating under the 1800 007 007 number and is complemented by the NDH website. 

Financial Rights is one of two services in NSW that answers the NDH. If you are struggling with debt, you can talk to a free financial counsellor over the phone on 1800 007 007.

NDH is a not-for-profit service that helps people tackle their debt problems. It is not a lender and does not ‘sell’ anything or make money from you. The NDH professional financial counsellors offer a free, independent and confidential service.

NDH is here to help you get back on track

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I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big Thank You for your time and the effort to straighten out this awful mess and at the same time calm my awful anxiety. I cannot thank your staff member and business enough for caring.