The Insurance Council is warning flood-impacted households and businesses to be wary of 'disaster chasers' who target communities recovering from disasters to make a buck.
Disaster chasers will often offer clean-up or debris removal services, requesting payment upfront in cash and leave the job poorly done or not completed.
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 continue to activate recovery resources and support for communities, and an Insurance Hub will be operational at the Taree Leagues Sports Club from Tuesday, 26 May.
Claims numbers have continued to increase. Insurers have now received more than 4,100 claims relating to the severe flooding across the Mid North Coast, Hunter and Greater Sydney regions of New South Wales.
