Date 30 September 2020
With bushfire season now on us, Legal Aid Queensland is encouraging people living in high risk areas to get organised before any potential disasters strike.
Legal Aid Queensland is also providing free legal help to people whose lives were affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires.
Legal Aid Queensland’s consumer advocate Paul Holmes said there are several things people can do now to lessen the red-tape pain further down the track.
“Firstly, we’d suggest you check your insurance is fully paid and kept up to date – this includes your car, home and contents insurance,” he said. “Even if you don’t think you have anything worth insuring, the cost to replace everything is far greater than many people expect.
“We encourage everyone to have a good look at their insurance, check what you are covered for, and whether it also covers you for extreme weather events such as fires, cyclones or flooding.
“If you’re considering transferring to cheaper insurance, make sure the cover is at least as good if not better than what you’ve currently got.”
Mr Holmes said anyone who has moved over the last year should check their insurer has their updated address and contact details.
“When it comes to dealing with your insurer or potential insurer, no question is a silly one – make sure you ask lots of questions if you’re unsure about anything – basically keep asking questions until you have your answer,” he said.
Mr Holmes said his final tip for people living in high risk areas is to gather all important documents together, like passports, birth certificates and insurance policies to ensure they can be collected quickly and easily if they must leave in an emergency.
“Whether you’re trying to navigate insurance claims, or you’re getting your life back together after a fire, it can be downright painful without the right paperwork, so making sure you have copies of all this basic information will go a long way to reducing your stress during a potentially traumatic time.”
For free bushfire legal help information and advice call 1300 527 700 or go to www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Natural-disaster-legal-help
Media contact:
Amanda Catania (07) 3917 0407 or 0413 001 039
Caroline Page (07) 3917 0406 or 0403 182 309
Last updated 30 September 2020