North and Far North Queensland monsoon trough

All Queensland Government departments are covered for loss or damage as a result of this event in accordance with QGIF’s Insurance Policy – Statement of Cover.

Statutory bodies which meet Queensland Treasury’s eligibility guidelines for participating in the state’s self-insurance scheme, and have elected to do so, are also covered by QGIF.

QGIF provides essentially unlimited cover for any loss or damage to property owned by or in the care, custody or control of the agency, or for which it is responsible, as a result of the NFNQ Monsoon.

Property includes buildings, furniture and fittings, contents, portable and attractive items, plant and equipment, unregistered motor vehicles, computer equipment, money and goods in transit.

QGIF also covers:

• any reasonable costs incurred in securing the premises following a loss;
• any costs incurred in repairing or rebuilding damaged property, including fees associated with engaging experts such as architects, surveyors and/or engineers.

Any fees associated with inspecting the property (e.g. electrical safety inspection, roof inspection, etc.), or removal of debris which has not caused damage to property (such as fallen tree branches), or any loss of livestock, crops or vegetation, will need to be met by agencies from their existing budget.

Yes, there is a deductible (excess) of up to $10,000 which is noted on your agency’s Insurance Certificate. In relation to natural disasters such as this, QGIF will apply the applicable deductible once for the whole event.

Agencies should contact QGIF to advise of any property losses as soon as practically possible. QGIF will liaise with insured agencies regarding any necessary repairs or replacement of assets and may appoint an insurance assessor with respect to any large or complex losses.
Insured agencies can however immediately repair or replace damaged assets or infrastructure as required in accordance with their respective procurement practices in order to restore services.

While there are no time limits for lodging a claim with QGIF, we encourage agencies to contact QGIF as soon as possible.

Agencies need to be aware that under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), there are strict timelines that apply for specific relief measures and activities such as Counter Disaster Operations and Restoration of Essential Public Assets.

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority is responsible for administering Counter Disaster Operations (Category A) and Restoration of Essential Public Assets (Category B), which are not covered by QGIF.

Further information regarding the DRFA is available from the https://www.qra.qld.gov.au/

The safety of staff and the public is paramount. Your first priority is to make sure that everyone is safe and out of harm’s way before securing the area and taking steps to prevent any further loss or damage.

Call the QGIF team on (07) 3035 6367 or email qgif@qgif.qld.gov.au providing as much information as possible. Notifying us early of any damage that could lead to a claim is important, even if at the time you talk to us, the extent of damage is still unclear.

Take photos of the damaged property prior to commencing any remedial repairs. Keep a record of any discarded items.

While it is important to notify QGIF at the earliest opportunity, you can immediately repair or replace damaged assets or infrastructure as required in accordance with your agency’s procurement process. This ensures disruptions to your agency are minimised.

Ensure any salvageable assets and equipment are kept and stored safely.

Identify and retain any relevant documentation to substantiate your agency’s claim (such as invoices, expert reports, photographs, quotations, any internal departmental reports, etc).

Noting this event occurred over a long period of time, please retain specific details of the date various properties sustained damage.

Once a claim has been reported to QGIF, a claims officer will liaise with you regarding the next stages of the claim.