Insurers have received more than 4100 claims, with numbers rising quickly, following the severe flooding across the NSW Mid North Coast, Hunter and Greater Sydney regions.

The Insurance Council of Australia says the total includes 3337 home, 644 motor and 150 commercial claims.  

CEO Andrew Hall said this morning that numbers are rising by about 1000 a day as water recedes, roads reopen and people return to properties and view the damage.

ICA and representatives from Suncorp, IAG, Hollard, Allianz, QBE, Auto & General and Youi will be available to help policyholders at an insurance hub at the Taree Leagues Sports Club from tomorrow to Friday. 

“Insurers are committed to prioritising the recovery of those impacted by these devastating floods. We’re sending crews into these areas to meet face to face with customers and start helping residents get back on their feet,” Mr Hall said.

ICA is in talks with the NSW Reconstruction Authority about having an insurer presence at local recovery centres across the Mid North Coast.  

Suncorp says that as of 9.30am today it had received more than 1300 claims, including more than 1000 for homes, with Taree, Port Macquarie and Gosford the most affected locations. 

At Taree Manning River, water levels exceeded the previous record set in 1929. Risk Frontiers says the flooding topped a 500-year average recurrence level.

Several places received more than half a metre of rainfall in a few days and emergency services made more than 760 rescues. Five people have died and thousands were isolated during the floods. 

Mr Hall says more money must be spent on making properties resilient, better planning is needed across the country, and co-ordination is required for clean-up responses.

Risks are well known, with 220,000 homes on the east coast having a 41% chance of flooding in the next 10 years, he told ABC Weekend Breakfast.

“Among those homes, we know that insurance rates are now sitting less than one in four,” he said. “We know that those people earn on average about $56,000 a year, so in other words, people who can least afford to lose everything are living in homes that were built in the wrong location and often have very little flood defences available to them.”

Commonwealth and state disaster recovery funding has been activated for 19 local government areas, including support for emergency accommodation and essential items, help for small businesses and councils to repair damage, and support for primary producers.

Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed to help with clearance, clean-up and early recovery operations.

Risk Frontiers says last week’s record rainfall was a result of several atmospheric phenomena converging on one location. 

A near-stationary high to the south was propelling moist air from the Tasman Sea into a trough near the coast, which lifted the relatively warm air, resulting in thick clouds and rain. Pools of cold air drifting over inland NSW enhanced the process.