That the Australian Government deliver National Climate Risk Assessments through the National Climate Service on a regular program, aligned to the Intergenerational Report.

That the Australian Government support the National First Peoples Platform on Climate Change, funded under the NESP Climate Systems Hub.

That the Australian Government prepare a workforce plan and resulting recruitment and training to build strong capabilities in climate services, knowledge brokering, communication and user engagement.

That the Australian Government require the National Climate Service to develop and publish a climate services roadmap, describing how to build to a national capability with explicit and ambitious time frames.

That the Australian Government review and update the COAG Roles and Responsibilities for Climate Adaptation in Australia.

That the Australian Government publish all National Climate Service strategic documents by default to provide transparency on the National Climate Service’s program and timelines for implementation.

That the Australian Government develop an intergovernmental agreement on climate data and information.

That the Australian Government regularly monitor against the new Statement of Expectations (refer Recommendation 4.1 and KPIs in Box 7) to ensure the National Climate Service is meeting expectations.

That the Australian Government concentrate on servicing Commonwealth and then state and territory agencies while a strategy to expand to broader services for the public is developed

That the Australian Government task the Climate Change Authority with a regular review of the National Climate Service against the KPIs

That the Australian Government formalise the National Partnership for Climate Projections as a sub-committee to the Adaptation Working Group and support it through the National Climate Service with appropriate resources to drive the broader co-ordinated work program and achieve national particip

That the Australian Government Provide a Statement of Expectations to the National Climate Service to meet the national requirement for trusted and accessible climate information, products and services and for effective national co-ordination of Australia’s climate services.

That the Australian Government require the National Emergency Management Agency make its data and products opensource and accessible to government and the public wherever possible.

That the Australian Government establish a mechanism within the National Climate Service to track user experience and satisfaction which gathers user needs and preferences, to guide the development of future products and services.

That the Australian Government Place the National Climate Service under a leader with the authority to ensure the service is customer-focused, connected effectively to core user groups, and well managed with appropriate budget, resources and priorities.

That the National Climate Service conduct a gap analysis of Australia’s climate data and information needs and user literacy and refresh this regularly.

That the Australian Government transfer responsibility for operational support services for emergency management (as set out in the Australian Climate Service Operational Support Services – Service Level Agreement 2023-24) from the Australian Climate Service to the National Emergency Management A

That the Australian Government establish a multidisciplinary Advisory Committee with an independent Chair to inform priorities and support the focus on user needs (including representatives from Commonwealth, state and local governments, First Nations Australians, the private sector, climate scie

That the Australian Government ensure the National Climate Service has adequate budget allocation to reasonably meet escalating needs for a national climate service capability.

That the National Climate Service 5.2 establish a portal for climate information, products and services sourced from across a range of quality assured providers that:
5.2.1. gradually builds over time a library of open-source climate information products and services

That the Australian Government allow the National Emergency Management Agency to make judgements about how to best meet its needs, including by managing its own tasking, data and analysis, with the ability to draw on external sources.

That the National Climate Service establish best practice for climate service providers in Australia, either via a climate service provider accreditation scheme or climate service standards.

That the Australian Government review roles and responsibilities for climate, hazard, exposure, vulnerability and impact data across the Commonwealth.

That the National Climate Service promote climate literacy through public information to empower users to understand and apply climate information for their own adaptation needs.

That the National Climate Service establish and grow a knowledge brokering service that assists users to find the data, information and advice needed to resolve their climate questions and understand the uncertainty inherent in climate models.

That the Australian Government Establish the National Climate Service, which will be available to serve all Australian governments (Commonwealth, state, territory, local) and, over time, provide information to all Australians.

The first review should consider whether National Climate Service should be an independent statutory authority

That the Australian Government establish a biannual National Climate Service forum, to bring together key climate service stakeholders from across public, private and community sectors to advance the climate services industry and its understanding of user needs.

That the National Climate Service Improve access and usability of climate information by making Commonwealth-funded products free and open-source by default.

That the Australian Government establish the National Climate Service within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and consider opportunities for resource and systems sharing, potentially integrating its back office data and computational systems with Environment In

That the Australian Government signal to partners and suppliers that the National Climate Service is open to collaborating and data sharing

That the Australian Government establish the National Climate Service within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water with arrangements that encourage the development of a separate and strong public profile.

That the National Climate Service promote data standards to integrate and connect data from different fields, aligned with international best practice.

That the National Climate Service develop robust quality assurance processes for data, tools, information and services provided by the National Climate Service and made available on the climate information portal.

That the Australian Government leverage the expert knowledge, capabilities and climate data, information and services of public and private entities.

That the Australian Government develop a long-term national strategy and funding approach for computational infrastructure and data storage for climate data and modelling.

That the Australian Government establish an appropriate data solution (e.g.

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to allow policyholders to have a 12-month period to seek a review of a final cash settlement where there is a change in the facts upon which the original determination was made.

The Committee recommends that all insurers create a role for a ‘consumer advocate’ which has oversight of and, where appropriate, involvement in, the disputes managed within the firm, cases that have moved to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), and claims which have taken a long

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the General Insurance Code Governance Committee share data so that it is possible to evaluate breaches of the General Insurance Code of Practice in the context of an insurers’ overall claims profile.

The Committee recommends that insurers report case management key performance indicators to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The Committee recommends that all levels of government should work together to ensure that, as far as is possible, people don’t need to resubmit the same information multiple times for different disaster support.

The Committee recommends that insurers amend their home insurance policies to provide fully paid temporary accommodation until the insurer has closed the claim, unless the extension of the time required can be demonstrated to be a result of behaviour on the part of the policyholder that is unreas

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice prohibit the use of the terms “without prejudice” or “confidential” (or other misleading terms) on final cash settlement offers.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia seek to have the General Insurance Code of Practice approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission after implementing any recommendations of the Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice provide that final cash settlements:

The Committee recommends the Australian Securities and Investments Commission consider seeking data from insurers on their performance based on the metrics recommended in Recommendation 51:
- Quarterly, for business-as-usual operations
- Monthly, for each declared event.

The Committee recommends that state and territory governments remove state-based taxes on general insurance products and shift the tax burden toward less distortionary taxes.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government work with the Insurance Council of Australia to develop and publish advice on the mitigation measures households could undertake to improve the flood resilience of their property.

The Committee recommends the Insurance Council of Australia amend the General Insurance Code of Practice to include an appropriate mechanism for ensuring policyholders that are being provided with temporary accommodation as part of their claim have at least 3 months’ notice of any proposed substa

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be incorporated as a contractually enforceable clause in insurance Product Disclosure Statements (as is the Banking Code of Practice).

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to work with the states and territories through National Cabinet to ensure that disaster and resilience funding, and non-financial support, are accessible and adequate for all councils, particularly smaller councils.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory governments to ensure flood maps are produced to a high standard across the nation, regardless of the size of the local government area producing the modelling. This may require:

The Committee recommends that insurers improve staff training to ensure staff adopt a trauma-informed approach when communicating with policyholders. This should include:

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers, at policy commencement and renewal, communicate key information on the consumer’s policy, including:

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code) be reformed to implement Recommendation 63 of the Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice, that is: where the insurer has not made a decision on a claim within 12 months, and the delay is not

The Committee recommends a more flexible approach to post-flood grant arrangements, to expand eligibility to include some insured people, including:

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government ultimately move towards a national, centralised, public-facing portal containing flood risk data at the household level for:
- all households and small businesses across Australia, and

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers inform policyholders when they suspect the policyholder’s sum insured does not cover the full rebuild costs according to their calculations, both at sign-on and renewal.

The Committee recommends that insurers recognise standard third-party authorisation forms and that this obligation be reflected in staff training.

The Committee acknowledges the increased funding for the community legal sector recently announced. While the focus of this funding will be for family violence services, the Committee recommends that an appropriate proportion be dedicated to natural disaster services.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to work with the insurance industry through the Hazards Insurance Partnership to collate:
- data contained in the National Flood Information Database, and

The Committee recommends the Australian Government consider appropriate regulatory or other mechanisms to reduce the instances of third-party builders and other contractors making changes to properties without the policyholder’s consent, including the practice of gaining entry, removing property

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers adopt a more flexible approach in relation to rebuilds and that, in particular, a like-for-like replacement not be required and that consumers be permitted to swap out size/scope for resilienc

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers be required to consider relevant propertylevel mitigation measures in any new or renewing insurance policy, and to demonstrate how those measures have been reasonably reflected in the proposed prem

The Committee recommends the Australian Government consider measures to improve the affordability of flood insurance for existing policyholders with high flood risk properties, including the appropriateness of a government supported reinsurance arrangement.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government and Insurance Council of Australia explore measures to facilitate the exchange of substantiated information about the resilience of a property to insurers, including new mitigation measures undertaken through state-based grant and loan programs.<

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate mechanisms to require insurers to more clearly communicate the basis for the price of premiums. This could include:

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government commission research into effective ways of communicating flood risk to communities.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government define the following terms in the Insurance Contracts Act 1984:
- All major forms of water damage, including “rainfall runoff”, “storm surge”, “tidal surge” and “riverine flood”.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers, in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, provide policyholders with updated information about:
- what policyholders can expect from making a claim and the claims process,

The Committee recommends the Australian Government continue to fund community level mitigation, ensuring at least $200 million per year ongoing.

The Committee recommends that legislation provide the Australian Securities and Investments Commission with sufficient data-gathering powers to obtain the information required to monitor and report on the metrics recommended in Recommendation 51.

The Committee recommends that:

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers to contact customers within 5 business days of the insurer becoming aware of a material change in the expected timing of any stage outlined in the guidance provided under Recommendation 30.

The Committee recommends that a climate financing framework be developed in relation to government mitigation and adaptation funding.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government consider measures to reduce household level risks, including whether it would be appropriate to extend the Bushfire Resilience Rating Home Self-Assessment App to flood risks.

The Committee recommends that a new service be offered to support vulnerable cash settlement recipients to project manage rebuilds and major repairs. This could be similar to the Service Navigator role in Queensland’s Resilient Homes Fund.

The Committee recommends that insurers put in place strategies to ensure their internal dispute resolution teams will be appropriately resourced and trained to respond to future significant natural disasters, and able to critically analyse expert reports and investigate the circumstances of the c

The Committee recommends that a distinction be made in the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code) between aspects of properties where maintenance is:
- Observable (for example, roofs and gutters) versus where it is not observable (for example, typically, stumps).

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers to provide all policyholders with access to realtime information about their claim’s progress and key documentation on their claim. This could be through a mobile application or other platform.

The Committee recommends insurers facilitate options for policyholders to provide additional information to insurers about the resilience of their property to flood risks, and make further investments to better integrate reported resilience measures into the calculations of premiums.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government establish a mechanism for creating and funding an independent expert panel of hydrologists to undertake hydrology reports if the policyholder disputes the findings of the first report.

The Committee recommends that all large insurers commit to having a physical presence at major emergency hubs in affected communities as soon as possible following a natural disaster.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider amending Sections 46 and 54 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 so as to better give effect to the original intent of the provisions.

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers use the ‘single point of contact’ claims management approach to the extent possible when responding to major natural disasters and ensure policyholders are informed of who their assigned case manag

The Committee recommends the Insurance Council of Australia in consultation with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission provide guidance to insurers about providing greater detail and clarity to policyholders on their rights and risks when an offer is made for a final cash settlemen

The Committee recommends the Insurance Council of Australia in consultation with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and state, territory and local governments:

The Committee recommends that Engineers Australia in conjunction with the Insurance Council of Australia develop guidelines for hydrologists that are providing insurers with hydrology reports relating to flood and storm claims, with a view to providing a more robust evidence base for insurers to

The Committee recommends that clauses 103c and 103d of the General Insurance Code of Practice be strengthened to ensure that key information is translated and available on insurers’ websites and that clause 103a should specify that this includes translating and interpreting services for Indigenou

The Committee recommends that insurers invest in their IT systems to improve the storage of policyholders’ key documentation and case notes, including correspondence and discussions. Case managers should also be suitably trained and resourced to implement quality record-keeping.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with State, Territory and local government through National Cabinet to ensure that further development does not occur in areas of 1-in-100 flood risk or greater.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia in conjunction with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission develop guidelines on how insurers can apply tighter internal controls on the oversight of building contractors, including guidelines on community expectations

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission produce regulatory guidance clarifying that insurers cannot rely solely on hydrology and expert reports to deny a claim where the report has not properly linked the damage observed with the cause of the damage, con

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission review how insurers are identifying vulnerable policyholders with a view to ensuring vulnerable policyholders are:
- consistently being identified when they make a claim;

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s MoneySmart life insurance claims comparison tool be extended to general insurance.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia in consultation with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission:

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state, territory and local governments through National Cabinet to ensure that publicly disclosed risk information at the individual property level is available through the property conveyancing process or mandated in state rental

The Committee recommends that insurance brokers and insurers be required to provide clear guidance on the operation of averaging provisions to small and medium sized businesses.
The Australian Government should also consider prohibiting averaging provisions for small businesses.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers implement mechanisms to: