The “clock is ticking” for government action on insurance challenges facing flood-prone communities, according to the Strata Community Association’s Queensland branch.

GM Laura Bos says insurance reform cannot wait following Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and floods earlier this year.

And the association warns that without urgent government intervention, insurance in flood-prone regions will soon become unaffordable or unavailable.

“Queenslanders are being crushed under the weight of rising insurance premiums, and government inaction is making a bad situation worse,” Ms Bos said.

“Strata insurance isn’t optional – it’s compulsory. Yet every year, owners are forced to pay exorbitant costs just to meet their legal obligations. This is an economic and social disaster in the making.

“Insurance reform cannot wait. The clock is ticking. We need urgent government action before more Queenslanders are priced out of protection.”

Ms Bos says Labor and the Coalition should commit to making the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation cover floods.

“The recent north Queensland floods will not be covered by the reinsurance pool – a shocking oversight that will drive premiums even higher in an already unaffordable market,” she said. “Our entire coastline, throughout Queensland and down to northern NSW, is vulnerable to flooding. If governments don’t act now, we will reach a point where insurance becomes a luxury rather than a necessity.”

The association also wants the Queensland government to remove stamp duty on strata insurance, to provide immediate relief for property owners.

“We must stop the tax on strata insurance. This is a tax on necessity ... The least the government can do is remove this unnecessary financial burden.”

Ms Bos also wants greater investment in flood mitigation.

“We must invest in mitigation and not just clean-up,” she said. “Every dollar spent on mitigation saves money, protects communities and keeps insurance affordable. We need real investment in resilience measures – not just more Band-Aid fixes.”