Northern New South Wales experienced endless rains, with insurance companies rejecting possible claims for damages. Some have hired commercial cleaners in Gold Coast to handle the cleaning issues in the area.
Heavy rainfall of 300mm has been experienced in over 11 weeks since it hit Lismore, Tweed, Ballina, Byron, Clarence, Richmond Valley and Kyogle regions.
Mick Williams, a Murwillumbah-based steel fabricator says the recent downpour has caused major anxiety for him and the others living in the Tweed Valley. He felt a bit panicky after waking up with really hard rains, and told himself this is not really good. He talked to a close friend who said it is something not to worry aboutas he was not alone. Mr. Williams was struggling with depression after he lost almost everything in his business. To help him clean the mess from the flood, he and a number of residents hired commercial cleaners in Gold Coast as it is nearby.
Insurance denied two of his claims for contents and building damages. An assessor came to his property and told him the damages were triggered by flood and not by the storm. Many of the businesses in this area also experienced the same sentiments. The insurersweren’t listening to what all of them had to say.
Insurance Disputes Worsen the Scenario
Robyn Hobbs, Small Business Commissioner for NSWsays she had spoken to at least 100 business owners who experienced similar problems as Mr. Williams. She would be submitting the results of non-paymentto the Financial Ombudsman Service of Australia.
She views matters of the insurers remain unsolved and sees them treating the small businesses in various ways. She will discuss the concern to the Financial Ombudsman Service of Australia to review all cases and deserve what they expect.
Triggered by the Weather
Erratic weather has triggered what the flood victims has experienced. It is like a trauma smashing with assumptions, an emotional injury taking time to recover.
The only way to recover from series of weather events is having the flood not to happen and re-establish a view that floods are not a result of heavy rains.
Dwellers in the area spent more time in hiring commercial cleaners in Gold Coastto clean the area, even if majority of their belongings have been destroyed.