Insurance Unaffordable for Flooded Homes Almost Two Years After Disaster
Homeowners in Ingham are still battling insurance gaps and costly repairs nearly two years after the February 2025 floods.
Wow—nearly two years after the February 2025 floods, homeowners in north Queensland are still wrestling with insurance woes.
In the town of Ingham, policy holders say their insurers either refused to renew policies or imposed large premium increases following the disaster.
Sure Insurance, for example, sent non‑renewal notices to customers who filed flood claims during the 2025 event. The 2026 letters, obtained by the ABC, explained that the company had altered its underwriting guidelines and would not offer coverage to properties that had made a flood claim in the past five years or faced a one‑in‑20‑year flood risk.
Sure’s spokesperson said the insurer now provides cover to one‑in‑four insured Ingham properties and that underwriting guidelines are reviewed regularly to ensure “our ability to provide ongoing cover at a price that is fair.”
Michelle Yates, who lives on acreage in the Hinchinbrook Shire north of Townsville, illustrates the ongoing struggle.
Her farmhouse near Ingham was hit hard in February 2025; the kitchen remains unfinished and water‑damaged floors are still being replaced.
Yates has been negotiating a payout with her insurer for 15 months, and a shortage of tradespeople has further delayed repairs.
She told the ABC, “Sure Insurance cancelled our policy altogether because we were flooded.”
Yates continues to search for an affordable alternative to protect her home.
The Insurance Council of Australia reports that the floods generated $327 million in insured losses, and some claims are still being negotiated.
With another wet season on the horizon, the region faces the prospect of additional flooding.
For now, many Ingham residents remain in limbo, awaiting insurance solutions and the completion of repairs.
