The looming bushfire season has brought together insurers, firefighters and weather experts to achieve greater understanding of the industry’s catastrophe response mechanisms.

A disaster season briefing hoisted by the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) in Sydney last week included a preview of the tropical cyclone season, which starts next month, from Bureau of Meteorology Senior Climatologist Agata Imielska.

Rural Fire Service NSW Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers previewed plans to respond to the fire season, which include contracting several large air tankers.

“We have to accept the fact what we think the fire season will be like and what [we] end up with is not necessarily the same thing,” Mr Rogers told the briefing.

“We are concerned about the fire season.”

ICA GM Policy Risk and Disaster Karl Sullivan gave an overview of the peak body’s response process after natural catastrophes are declared.

It starts by activating the industry’s catastrophe taskforce, followed by deploying staff to impact areas and recovery centres, collating claims reporting by insurers and tracking claims closures.