MAJOR FLOOD WITH NO INCIDENT SUPPORTS LOWER INSURANCE PREMIUMS

Published on 29 April 2026

Today, the South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils held an Insurance Roundtable with representatives of the insurance industry and is calling on insurance companies to recognise the flood mitigation measures put in place to protect our residents from flooding.

Balonne Shire recently experienced a flood sweeping through the Shire without a single home impacted by flood waters, highlighting recent insurance premium price hikes as blatant price gouging by insurance companies.

The recent flood water entered the north of the Shire in the Balonne River system peaking at around 11m and river heights ranging from major to minor flood levels as it passed through the Shire without a single home impacted by the flood waters.

For years now, insurance companies have been price gouging local residents with massive insurance premium hikes up from around $1,500-$2,000 to $15,000-$23,000 due to a claim of flooding risks, despite 6 of our 7 towns sitting behind flood levees.

Balonne Shire Mayor Samantha O’Toole said this flood is further proof that insurance companies need to understand that our flood levees virtually extinguish the flood risk they are claiming exists.

“Some residents in Balonne have seen their insurance premium quotes double year-on-year, with some receiving quotes in excess of $20,000 for a standard home, due to flood risk and that nonsense needs to stop", said Mayor O’Toole.

“This recent flood, along with numerous recent flood events in the Shire have well and truly proven that the flood mitigation infrastructure we have in place works to remove flood risks in our townships.

“It is time for insurance companies to stop price gouging our residents for flood risks that have been mitigated by infrastructure to prevent that risk.

“Our flood levees have been in place for over a decade, and insurance companies are completely ignoring their existence in quoting and charging these ridiculously high premiums.

“With heightened cost of living pressures hitting families across the country, it is time for insurance companies to do the right thing by their customers and recognise the success of flood mitigation measures in Balonne.”

ENDS