Call for Insurance Sector to Champion Resilience Funding

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Insurance companies should explore innovative solutions to tackle the rising challenges of affordability and accessibility in the sector, recommends a major consumer group, Australian Consumers Insurance Advocacy.

This call emerges amidst the industry's general dependence on governmental intervention to spearhead efforts in resilience and mitigation, despite strong endorsements from insurers themselves. "It's crucial for insurers to take the initiative in this domain," stated the advocacy group.

The Advocacy’s recent submission to a Senate inquiry proposes that the Insurance Council of Australia could encourage its members to allocate around 1% of home insurance premiums into a dedicated resilience fund, potentially amassing a $100 million pool annually for private mitigation undertakings.

This proposed fund could extend interest-free loans to policyholders grappling with insurance hardships due to property defects or significant maintenance issues. Additionally, the group floated the notion of forming a specialized underwriting agency for individuals who find it financially strapped or hard to secure coverage, backed partly by profits or premiums from certain insurance categories to bolster the initiative.

"Although these measures might result in some immediate costs for insurers, likely transferred to consumers, the far-reaching repercussions of inaction far outweigh them," the submission points out.

Within the evaluation by the Senate select committee observing how climatic factors influence insurance premiums and availability, the Australian Consumers Insurance Advocacy underscores that property owners shouldn't be held entirely financially accountable for mitigation strategies. They endorse a system wherein the government matches a specified amount for each dollar investment in mitigation by property owners.

The Insurance Council’s own Senate submission highlighted the sector's collaborative efforts with governmental bodies and regulatory authorities, through avenues such as the Hazards Insurance Partnership, to address protection gaps. "One major achievement of HIP has been the sharing of information between government and industry to better comprehend issues related to affordability, under-insurance, and non-insurance, thus guiding policy and initiatives," it mentions.

The industry is actively engaging with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to refine its Climate Vulnerability Assessment framework for the sector and is advocating for augmented investments in preventive infrastructure like flood defenses and revising building codes and land use planning strategies.

Reflecting on previous advancements, including the federal government's $1 billion Disaster Ready Fund and state-funded resilience programs, the Insurance Council stresses that additional initiatives are necessary. "Despite these beneficial announcements, further steps are imperative," reads the council's submission.

The information is adapted from a source article originally published by the Australian Consumers Insurance Lobby.

Published:Saturday, 13th Jul 2024
Source: Paige Estritori

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