The Insurance Council is warning householders and businesses across South East Queensland to be wary of 'disaster chasers' following the hailstorms and strong winds that impacted the region over the last two weeks.
Disaster chasers are opportunistic individuals who 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.
Tips for identifying and dealing with a disaster chaser:
- An insurer will not send a tradesperson or builder to your home without notifying you and providing you with details
- Speak to your insurer before agreeing to any repairs or rebuilding work to make sure your insurer will cover the work
- A tradesperson or builder who is working for your insurer will not ask you for payment
- If in doubt, ask for identification such as a builder's licence or driver's licence, and ring your insurer to check
- If you sign a contract with a disaster chaser, you have a statutory 10-day cooling-off period. Your insurer can help you end the relationship with the disaster chaser
Insurers have now received more than 19,300 claims following the hailstorm on Sunday 26 October and 3,880 claims following the storms of 31 October to 2 November.
