The Insurance Council of Australia has warned homeowners hit by recent storms in southeast Queensland to beware opportunistic “disaster chasers”.  

It says people demanding upfront payments or contracts for inspections, repairs and other services often do poor or incomplete jobs, and some property owners are misled by false assurances that costs will be covered by their insurance.

ICA says homeowners should contact their insurers before agreeing to any work.

It notes an insurer will not send a tradesperson without notifying the owner, and insurer-appointed agents will not ask for payment.

The council points to the statutory 10-day cooling-off period for people who have signed contracts and urges such policyholders to contact their insurers to explore ways to terminate agreements. 

“Unfortunately, disaster chasers can emerge soon after a storm and target impacted householders,” ICA director of mitigation and extreme weather response Liam Walter said.

“They can leave families, the elderly and vulnerable Australians much worse off, with large bills and homes that remain damaged.” 

More than 19,300 claims have been made after the October 26 hailstorm in Brisbane and surrounding areas, plus 3880 claims from storms over October 31 and November 2.