Mayor urges insurers to show compassion

Sunshine Coast Mayor Bob Abbot has called on insurance companies to ‘have a heart’ and move quickly to process claims lodged in the wake of last week’s deluge in the Noosa hinterland.

Bob Abbot said many residents of Kin Kin and surrounding areas were doing it tough following the disaster and struggling to come to terms with property damage and stock losses.

Cr Abbot said it would take some months for the district to recover and the last thing residents needed was a battle with their insurers to justify their claims.

“I am told that some insurance companies are doing everything they can to assist but others are doing absolutely nothing,” Cr Abbot said.

“It seems that in some cases, there’s a dispute about whether the damage was caused by the downpour or by flood waters – in other words whether it was due to water coming down or going up.

“I just ask the insurance companies to show some compassion for these people in their hour of need and process their claims without delay so that life for those affected can return to normal as soon as possible.”

Cr Abbot said more than 600mm of rain was dumped on the district within the space of about five hours last Thursday and residents had no time to prepare.

He said suggestions that payouts could be delayed or even declined were causing additional anguish for the individuals and families concerned.

“It is obvious this damage has occurred through no fault of residents and they just want to get on with the task of mopping up and undertaking repairs,” Cr Abbot.

“The overall insurance bill would be relatively small compared to the cost of some disasters but those payouts will make an enormous difference to the residents involved.”