Information for our customers affected by the East Coast storms and floods

This alert was originally published on 28 February 2022 and has been updated on 30 March 2022.

We’re working hard to support our customers affected by the severe weather and flooding across Australia’s East Coast.

We have additional team members ready to take your calls and lodge claims.

If you need to make a new claim

If you need to make a claim due to flood or storm damage, please contact us as soon as you’re safe and able to do so. While our assessors and tradespeople can’t enter affected areas until emergency services declare it safe, notifying us of your claim as soon as possible helps us speed up the claims process to get you back on your feet sooner.

If you have an existing claim

If you already have a flood or storm damage claim in progress with us and your property has been damaged again, please contact us to lodge another claim again when you’re safe and able to do so.

If you’re unsure if there’s extra damage and need to lodge an additional claim that’s okay, please contact us and we’ll be able to assess this for you.

How to contact us

If you’re insured directly with QBE, call us on 133 QBE (133 723) and press 2 for Claims. You can also lodge your claim online.

If you bought your policy from an intermediary or your financial institution, contact them to make your claim.

It’s ok if you don’t know your policy details when you call us – all we need is your name and address we’ll find it for you.

Please remember:

• Please prioritise safety and don’t do anything that puts anyone at risk
• Only return to your property when emergency services deem it safe and always follow the advice and direction of emergency services
• Never try to drive through flood-affected areas
• Be cautious around electrical items that may have been affected by water. If water has entered your property, don’t turn on anything electrical, including lights or appliances, until an electrician can check it’s safe to do so and avoid fallen power lines which may still be live
• Watch out for wildlife, such as snakes, that may have been displaced by the flood
• You can start cleaning up when it’s safe to do so, but first, take photographs or videos of all damage to support your claim and speed up claim processing time
• If you’re in urgent need of ‘make safe’ repairs, temporary accommodation or emergency cash payments, please contact us straight away
• Remove water damaged goods from your property that might pose a health risk, such as saturated carpets and soft furnishings - don’t forget to take photographs and, if safe to do so, keep a sample of the material to support your claim
• Never drive a vehicle you believe may be unsafe, particularly if its windscreen is smashed, its indicators damaged, or it has been waterlogged
• Wear appropriate safety clothing including boots, gloves, eye protection, and long pants and sleeves during clean up
• Please let us know if you have sustained roof damage so we can arrange any required emergency works to minimise any hazards and prevent further damage
• Be aware of scammers offering assistance with claims or repairs - always contact us first to ensure the works are authorised by a reputable company that guarantees its work (more information here). 

Additional support

As part of our response to the east coast flood and storm catastrophe, QBE customers can access free and confidential counselling through our partnership with Assure Programs. This may be helpful if you’re struggling to deal with uncertainty, stress and anxiety related to this event. 

You can access up to three sessions with a professional psychologist, plus up to three sessions with a qualified financial counsellor until June 30, 2022. 

To book your phone session, call Assure on 1800 808 374 (Australia) or 0800 464 387 (NZ). Tell them you’re a QBE customer and whether you’d like the psychological or financial service.

Current warnings

For the latest information on emerging and current weather conditions across Australia, please listen to the local radio and monitor information from the emergency sources listed on our Catastrophe page.