After the recent escalation from a significant event declaration to an Insurance Catastrophe, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has confirmed that insured losses from the devastating Victorian bushfires have crossed AU$200 million across 3,123 claims.
This claims count includes property, motor, commercial, and business interruption claims, with 30% of them being property claims estimated to be total losses.
Since January 7, 2026, bushfires have been raging across parts of Victoria, burning nearly a million acres, according to the ICA’s report on January 16, 2026.
The ICA stated that insurers are prioritising claims from Victorians impacted by the bushfires.
Claims are expected to continue to be lodged as access is restored and home and business owners return.
To date, insurers have had a presence in Castlemaine, Harcourt, Natimuk, Seymour, Skipton and Yea to support impacted policyholders through the claims and recovery process and will look to move into other areas once it is safe to do so.
Andrew Hall, Chief Executive Officer, ICA, commented, “While insurers are continuing their strong focus on Victoria, safety is the utmost priority. These bushfires very much remain an ongoing event, and I encourage Victorians to follow the advice of emergency services.
“Being here on the ground, you can understand the true scale and impact of these fires, and the devastation it has caused. Insurers are working hard to support impacted customers and are already making plans to revisit Victoria for face-to-face consultations in the coming weeks. For anyone who has damage and is yet to make a claim, I encourage them to get in touch with their insurer to commence the claims process, even if the full extent of the damage remains unknown.”
Lisa Chesters MP, Federal Member for Bendigo, added, “I’m grateful for the support of organisations and service providers are showing fire-affected community members across the Mount Alexander Shire.
“As residents pick up the pieces from this catastrophic event, the government is working collaboratively with councils and service providers to assist those who have been impacted. Insurance will play such a big part in our community’s recovery. It was so critical to have insurance industry representatives on the ground and meeting people face to face within days of the Ravenswood/ Harcourt fire.”
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