A recent fire in a Gold Coast apartment building, insured by Strata Community Insurance (SCI), highlights how important a fast, coordinated and compassionate response can be when an unexpected incident affects residents and their homes.

The fire started in an apartment on Level 7 of the high-rise apartment building. Residents were evacuated, several of them elderly, and one was taken to hospital for treatment relating to smoke exposure.

To experience a fire in your apartment building would have been frightening, and SCI did not underestimate how much worse this could have been. Because they could only imagine how stressful it would have been, their first reaction was to jump in the car and help the residents in person, not manage the claim from a desk.

That’s what the SCI team did. They went to the property to check on residents, face to face, and answer the questions weighing on them the most.

But they were not there alone. The broker, strata manager, loss adjuster, builder and hygienist were all on site within three hours of the terrible event occurring. That meant the immediate steps to make the building safe could be agreed on the spot, and residents were not left waiting while a plan was formed elsewhere.

“Our priority in any major loss event is the safety and wellbeing of residents. By working closely with our intermediary partners and trusted specialists, we can respond quickly, make properties safe and support communities when they need it most,” said Brian Chikanya, General Manager-Claims at Strata Community Insurance.

Remediation began promptly and reinstatement works are being scoped. At this stage there is no indication of widespread displacement.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

“Protecting strata communities extends beyond repairing property. It means working together to support resident wellbeing, restore confidence and help communities recover following unexpected events,” Brian said.

For strata owners, this claims study is a timely reminder of the importance of having appropriate insurance cover, clear emergency procedures and a strata manager who can help coordinate communication between residents, insurers, brokers and specialist suppliers when a major incident occurs.

For further information regarding Strata Community Insurance, visit the website: stratacommunityinsure.com.au.