Natural disaster legal help
We can help if you’ve been affected by a bushfire, cyclone, storm, flood or other severe weather or natural disaster.
Call our natural disaster legal help line on 1300 527 700 to get help with issues you may face when your property has been damaged by a natural disaster or severe weather.
We also have factsheets and guides available giving you information about making an insurance claim after a natural disaster or severe weather.
Law for all podcast series
Episode 3: Dealing with insurance and damage when a natural disaster hits
In this episode, Legal Aid Queensland's consumer advocate and Principal Lawyer Paul Homes discusses what to do if your home or property has been damaged, how to avoid hustlers, and how to go about dealing with the insurance side of clean-up.
View the transcript
Access all our Law for all podcasts
Cyclones, floods and storms
Our When disaster strikes—cyclones, storms and floods guide helps Queenslanders with their insurance claims after a storm, cyclone or flood. It gives information on home building and contents insurance policies. It doesn’t give information on other types of insurance such as motor vehicle insurance policies.
Please note: this publication is only available online.
Legal information factsheets
Note: Some of these publications are currently being updated.
If you need advice about your insurance claim, call our natural disaster legal help line on 1300 527 700.
Insurance
Services and utilities
Employment
Debt and financial problems
Resilient Homes Fund
Personal injury
Replacing lost or destroyed documents
Who else can help?
- Your rights in the aftermath of a natural disaster — information provided by Caxton Legal Centre Inc
- Tenancy-related matters—the RTA's natural disasters webpage has information for rental properties impacted by flooding
- Property managers and agents can download the REIQ's natural disaster toolkit or contact 1300 697 347 to access a free legal advisory service
- Body corporates—contact the BCCM Information and Community Education Unit on 1800 060 119
- Hardship assistance from banks—visit the Australian Bankers Association's Financial Assistance Hub
- Complaints about insurance claims are handled by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (formerly the Financial Ombudsman Service). Please call 1800 931 678.
- The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) deals with competition matters and provides information on consumer protection. This information includes employment laws and the consumer guarantees that apply to most goods and services purchased from 1 January 2011. The ACCC also provides publications on Commonwealth competition and fair trading laws. The ACCC can take legal action against companies that breach Commonwealth legislation.
- SCAMwatch is a website that provides information relating to scams and fraud. SCAMwatch is maintained by the ACCC with contributions by the Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce.
- The Office of Fair Trading receives complaints from consumers who have been poorly treated in Queensland: the office can begin legal proceedings against perpetrators.
- The Queensland Building and Construction Commission provides assistance with a wide range of rebuilding issues and is providing additional building compliance units to determine whether properties are inhabitable after the floods.
Disclaimer: This content is for general purposes only and not legal advice. If you have a legal problem, please contact us or speak to a lawyer. View our full disclaimer.
Last updated 22 November 2023