MARCUS DAMAGE BILL HITS $84M
More than 6000 Top End homeowners and businesses continue to count the costs of destructive cyclone
THE damage bill from Cyclone Marcus has hit a staggering $84.4 million as home and business owners and the NT Government continue to count the costs.
The Category 2 cyclone packed a punch when it landed on Darwin — cutting power to thousands of homes and downing hundreds of trees.
The Insurance Council of Australia has indicated insurance claims from private and commercial properties have hit an eye-watering $58.9 million.
The figure comes from 6377 claims that range from damage to pergolas, cars and roofs.
The Government earlier this week revealed its estimated bill was $25.5 million but the Sunday Territorian can exclusively reveal the total cost when public insurance claims are added is over $84 million.
Insurance Council of Australia’s Campbell Fuller said most claims were from damage caused by falling trees.
“The insurance bill from the cyclone reflects the more robust approach the NT has taken to its buildings and that’s through the Deemed to Comply Manual,” he said.
“Without this strong building guideline the damage in Darwin would have been significantly larger.
“What we’ve seen is that since Cyclone Tracy, Darwin in particular, has led the country in insuring the construction and designs are strong enough to survive cyclones.”
Cyclone Debbie hit the Queensland coast last year and has racked up a bill of more than $1.7 billion.
A spokeswoman from the Department of the Chief Minister said the $25.5 million included the damage and cleanup bill to public assets.
“It is an early estimate of the total cost of cleaning up and repairing damage, and assisting those who experienced hardship,” she said.
She said the Government self insured its assets and through a Commonwealth arrangement.
“That assistance is based on an agreed formula, once the costs of the response and recovery have been finalised and verified through an audit process,” she said.
‘The insurance bill. reflects the more robust approach the NT has taken’ CAMPBELL FULLER