How to cope after you have lost everything in a fire or natural disaster
At Real Insurance we understand what it is like for you to lose all your personal belongings – your birth certificate, passport, Medicare card, tax information and other financial information. We have witnessed, first hand, the frustrations of those trying to put their personal lives and identities back together.
To help in this time of need, we have put together an easy-to-use A-Z of how to go about reclaiming your identity and all of those critical documents we can’t do without.
We hope that this information will be of some assistance to you in these trying times.
At Real Insurance, we have always believed in “being there” for you when you most need our help. Of course we are an insurance company but behind that we are a team of people with a heart. This document is just a small part of what we can do to help others in their time of need.
This information aims to take away the uncertainty of what to do next.
However, we do have one favour to ask. For the sake of others who may in the future experience similar devastating losses, please let us know if you have any further suggestions which could improve this document.
Thank you.
First steps:
1. Call your insurer as soon as possible to find out what actions they need you to take in order to set your claim in motion and what immediate relief they can provide.
2. Don’t go into your house. After a disaster there are often a range of hazards and dangers - Emergency services will check the water, gas and electricity supplies and advise you what to do next. If you can’t resume living in your home, consider the alternatives, such as staying with friends or family – or maybe even in a hotel. But be sure to keep receipts of any urgent purchases, like reasonable accommodation, transport or clothing.
3. By using the steps outlined in this document, replace your personal ID and other documentation as quickly as possible. It will make your life a lot easier.
4. Alert the appropriate people and authorities of your situation:
- Family and friends
- Your employer
- If you are renting, contact your landlord as soon as possible
- Your insurance company
- Your bank or mortgage broker
- Your children’s school
- Water, gas or electricity supplier
- Local council
Lost personal documents
At Real Insurance, we understand that replacing things such as marriage certificates, driver’s licences and Medicare cards can be an exhausting job.
Please click on the link below to access a table our team has put together which lists, in alphabetical order, the documents you will need to replace and the necessary contact numbers to assist you with this task:
Click to access a table of important contact numbers
Hopefully this information will be of assistance to you
We hope this has provided you with some real, practical assistance to get your life back in order.
At Real Insurance, we understand that disasters such as floods and fires are mostly unexpected and many times, come with little warning.
If you think we can be of further assistance, please call us on 1300 007 325.
The information contained within this document is of a general nature. While all due care has been taken in the preparation of this document, we take no responsibility and expressly disclaim all liability incurred by any person in connection with the document or its contents to the extent permitted by law.