News Brief: Victorian Fires and Insurance Affordability
Summary
Recent catastrophic bushfires in Victoria, which destroyed hundreds of homes, are expected to contribute to rising insurance premiums, exacerbating affordability issues, particularly in regional areas. Over 2,600 claims have been lodged, with concerns growing about the future insurability of high-risk locations.
Key Points
- Widespread Damage: The fires in central Victoria (e.g., Harcourt) have resulted in over 2,600 insurance claims, almost half for commercial properties and farms.
- Affordability Crisis: Some residents, like pensioner David Jeffries, could not afford insurance and now face total loss without financial recourse.
- Premium Pressure: The Insurance Council of Australia notes that while a single event doesn’t automatically raise premiums, a combination of costly disasters nationally (claims exceeding $2 billion since September) will ultimately impact pricing.
- Insurability at Risk: There is a “real worry” that properties in areas with realistic fire or flood risks may become uninsurable.
- Calls for Action: Stakeholders urge government measures like subsidies, tax deductions for premiums, and investment in mitigation (e.g., backburning) to reduce risk and pressure on premiums.
- Government Response: The federal government acknowledges the challenge but has not yet acted on a 2020 Senate recommendation for an official inquiry into insurance in bushfire-prone regions.
新闻简报：维多利亚州火灾与保险负担能力
摘要
近期在维多利亚州发生的灾难性丛林大火摧毁了数百所房屋，预计将导致保险费上涨，加剧了保险负担能力问题，特别是在区域性地区。目前已提交超过2600起索赔，人们对高风险地区未来的可保性日益担忧。
关键点
- 广泛破坏：维多利亚州中部（如哈考特）的火灾已导致超过2600起保险索赔，其中近半数为商业地产和农场索赔。
- 负担能力危机：一些居民，如领养老金的David Jeffries，负担不起保险，现在面临没有经济补偿的全面损失。
- 保费压力：澳大利亚保险理事会指出，虽然单一事件不会自动导致保费上涨，但全国范围内一系列代价高昂的灾难（自9月以来索赔额预计超过20亿澳元）最终将影响定价。
- 可保性风险：人们真正担忧的是，在具有现实火灾或洪水风险的地区，房产可能变得无法投保。
- 呼吁采取行动：利益相关者敦促政府采取补贴、保费税收减免以及投资风险缓解措施（如计划烧除）等政策，以降低风险并减轻保费压力。
- 政府回应：联邦政府承认挑战，但尚未就2020年参议院提出的对丛林火灾易发地区保险供应进行官方调查的建议采取行动。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-21/insurers-say-premiums-will-rise-after-victorian-fires/106244640