Broken promises, misguided figures and poor communication were experiences flagged by flood-recovering residents during a legal hearing putting insurance companies under the microscope.
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Insurers tied to the Central West floods in 2022 have come under scrutiny as part of an official investigation surrounding responses to claims.
A parliamentary inquiry headed by the House Standing Committee on Economics, public hearings were held in Molong and Eugowra on May 7 and 8 to hear from impacted home and business owners.
Sitting either side of Cheney Suthers co-director, Kirsty Evans, Molong Pharmacy manager and Downtown Fitness gym owner, Dennis Druve and Heba Elkurdi, openly shared their encounters with insurance companies following the deluge nearly 18 months ago.
Mr Druve spoke of how the local chemist will "be playing catch-up" for years to come in terms of financial loss, both past and present day.
"It was 13 months until our insurance came through," Mr Druve said.
"We would still be behind in funds by a substantial amount [and] I couldn't give you an estimate, but I can tell you we're definitely behind.
"We were only replacing flooring on Sunday [May 5] and we're still finding more things here and there."
With roughly 200 clients on the books pre-flood, the site where Ms Elkurdi's fitness hub used to operate remains desolate.
Eventually moving further up Bank Street to higher ground, she spoke of the impacts after being out of business for nearly one year with nil insurance money to fall back on.
Some Bank Street businesses in Molong never reopened.
"You get pushed into a corner and you become desperate, so you just take whatever [the insurance company] offers you ... it's quite an emotional, distressing experience," Ms Elkurdi said.
"Being shut for nine months, losing all of my equipment and memberships, what [the insurance company] covered was probably about 30 per cent."
You get pushed into a corner and you become desperate, so you just take whatever [the insurance company] offers you.
- Downtown Fitness gym owner in Molong, Heba Elkurdi.
Representing these business owners as a collective, Ms Evans has been doing the legal legwork pro bono.
After crunching the numbers, she explained how the estimated gap between personal loss and covered claims didn't scratch the surface.
"We had businesses not reopen ... and everyone else self-funded their own return to business because it was as a 13 month wait [for insurance payouts]," she said.
"People pulled money off of their home loans and that loss, it's ongoing ... I wouldn't say 30 per cent was covered."
'Reliving trauma all over again'
Residents also noted several hours-long phone calls, in-person meetings and countless emails surrounding insurers requesting detailed inventories.
Ms Elkurdi said it got to a point where she "had to prove" whether or not a computer hard drive sat on the ground when water rose that day or some centimetres higher, for example.
The Cheney Suthers lawyer said insurance companies also "failed to meet obligations" to clients, particularly when it came to properly informing people of their policies.
Along with "a failure to communicate" on an ongoing basis, she explained how claimants were also contacted directly by the policy-makers - in spite of being aware they had legal representation.
"There's an array of examples of how our community was let down by the insurance," she said.
"[Business owners] were reliving trauma all over again because of insurance companies and they all deserve better in this circumstance.
"The fix to all of this is better solutions and better communication; and we need insurers to come to the party."
Lasting legacy
Those representing the committee during the two Central West hearings were MPs Dr Daniel Mulino, Susan Templeton and Andrew Gee, along with inquiry secretary, Dee Oxley.
Joined by Forbes Shire Council's mayor and general manager, Phyllis Miller and Steve Loane, mayor of Cabonne Shire Kevin Beatty addressed the federal panel on behalf of the flood-hit communities.
Mr Beatty said after two days in the region, the committee should better understand where those impacted are coming from.
"I know you'll hear many stories of heartache, frustration and disappointment, but you'll also hear stories of great regimes, innovation and spirit, which has really reflected the community's response [to the flood]" he said.
"It was unlike anything our region has experienced before, and it's left a lasting legacy and impact on our communities."
... you'll hear many stories of heartache, frustration and disappointment, but you'll also hear stories of great regimes, innovation and spirit.
- Mayor for Cabonne Shire, Kevin Beatty on November 2022 flood tragedy.
Actions were summarised leading up to November 14 before, the mayor noting the largest helicopter rescue in Australian history taking place.
He said the "most devastating" part of the deluge was "the loss of two lives".
He also talked of insurance complications across more than 426 houses and 100 businesses, which were all damaged in the wake of the flood.
This included extensive destruction to Cabonne's road network along with 10,543 tonnes of debris dumped at waste facilities.
"The physical and mental costs of that flood event are also difficult to quantify and even harder to manage," Mr Beatty said.
"Communities are going to require ongoing support for a number of years."
Committee chair, Mr Mulino said the inquiry had already heard from regulators and insurance companies, as well as consumer advocacy and legal rights groups.
Two more public hearings surrounding major flood claims will take place in Richmond and Parramatta on May 9 and 10.
"Now we want to hear first-hand from the locals in some of the worst-hit regions," he said.
"We know that in some of these places almost everyone has a story to tell, but for anyone who misses out or who wishes to provide information to the committee, there is still time to make a public or confidential submission."
Online surveys can be completed until July 31, with submissions also able to be uploaded online or sent to floodinsurance.reps@aph.gov.au