Flood & Storm support

If your home has completely or partially flooded, or your carpet, furniture, or contents were damaged by rain, remember to:

• compile a detailed list of items (including the make and model or a description)

• take photos of the damaged items, and if possible a sample of each type of carpet and

• remove the damaged items from inside the home and place outside for disposal. 

Let us know about the damaged items next time we’re in touch. There is no need to immediately reach out and you do not need to wait for an assessor. Rest assured, we’ll work with you to include all details in your claim.

There’s no need to immediately reach out if you find anything new. Just make a note of the problem and take photos. The next time we’re in touch, let us know about it and we’ll include all the details in your claim.

If a different part of your home is damaged by another event, please lodge a new claim online. 

Our claims team will identify next steps. This may include booking an assessment, repairs, replacements, and/or arranging payments.  

This may take longer than usual if there’s been a severe weather event, but we’ll be in touch as soon as possible. In the meantime, remember to take photos or videos of the damage and if possible, a sample of each type of carpet. You can also remove wet carpet and damaged contents before an assessor visits your home.

A scope of work is a detailed summary of the work that will be undertaken to repair or rebuild your home. This includes the repairs that will be made in each room and the materials used. The scope of work will be updated as needed.

Your assessor, builder or claims manager will explain your scope of work and provide you with a copy for your consideration. Remember, your repairs or rebuild cannot commence until you have signed your scope of work.

You can use a builder from our supplier network or select your own builder to repair or rebuild your home.

If you choose to use your own builder, we’ll cash settle your claim. The amount we pay may be less than what it could cost you to arrange the repairs or rebuild with your own builder. This is because we can secure discounts within our builder supplier network.

To learn more, refer to the PDS.

If we accept your claim, we’ll cover the reasonable and necessary costs of demolishing and removing damaged parts of your home. This includes fallen trees if they’ve damaged your home.

You can find your policy limits for removal of debris in the PDS or talk to our dedicated claims team is you have questions.

During major events, third parties may door knock or letter drop offering to manage your insurance claim. Please be aware that: 

• these services are not provided by us

• we’ll never send an assessor or builder to your home without first notifying you, and 

• we won’t demand payment on top of your excess for the work being undertaken. 

If you’re approached by a third party, you may be asked to pay for these services using a percentage of your insurance settlement. You should always carefully consider the use of these services as your insurance policy doesn’t cover this cost. 

If you decide to engage a third party, you should always ask for their:

• Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) number to check it against ASIC’s database

• Financial Services Guide

• Required fees

• Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) credentials.

Remember: Never sign a contract/authorisation to act on your behalf (physically or electronically) until you’ve received the information you’ve requested.

• Read more about third-parties that offer claim services

GIO will never send an SMS message requesting an excess payment to progress your home claim. If you receive such a message, please delete it immediately.