Builder and restoration panel FAQs

Flex Insurance will apply reasonable market rates to restoration costs to determine a claimable entitlement.

Flex Insurance encourage the use of listed panel restorers who have agreed to prior rate schedules when completing works for Flex Insurance insured clients.  

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By definition in the Flex Insurance Residential Strata Plan Insurance, carpets within a lot are considered a lot owners contents unless endorsed otherwise. Associated restoration costs should respectfully be referred to a contents or landlord insurer for consideration.

Generally, the use of restoration equipment is considered to be a reasonably incurred inconvenience rather than causing a lot/unit to be unfit. Claims of this nature will be reviewed individually under their particular circumstances.

Alternate accommodation or rental loss is considered on the basis of claimable damage to insured property to an extent which causes the lot/unit to become unfit for its intended purpose.

Unfortunately no, carpet within an individual lot is not considered to be part of the insured property. We would refer you to your contents/landlord insurer to liaise with them in regards to this aspect.

If there is an accepted claim under Policy 1 you can claim for excess electricity usage. You will need to supply 12 months of bills prior to the date of loss to be able to calculate the difference.

Depending on the severity of the amount of drying equipment required will depend on the property being deemed habitable. For example, if it’s just one small dryer in a bedroom that is used as a spare room the property would be deemed liveable.

You may qualify for temporary accommodation if the property is unliveable during the restoration period and you are owner occupied.

Any structural components of your property.

The Lot owner is responsible for Lot owners Carpets, Curtains, Furniture, Dishwashers.

The Owners Corporation is responsible for common area contents.

Yes, resultant damage is covered, however cover is limited to what is covered as building under strata legislation, i.e., walls, fixed hardwood floors and floating floors, general contents and carpet within the lot is not deemed as building therefore no cover.

Yes, as the walls and ceiling are part of the building cover cover exists for remediation of the walls and ceiling.

Click on one of the links below to find this information:

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If you are unsure please contact us on 1300 001 293 (self-managed strata customers) or 1300 201 021 (brokers and strata managers) or 1800 022 444 (after hours) and we will figure that out for you.

Absolutely - please use the details below:

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They be used for other types of events including fire and drug contamination. Please contact our panel for advice.

Yes the restorers will have their own mould specialists. They will confirm whether this is required and make the property safe to habitable condition.

Unfortunately the lot owner cannot claim loss of rent if there was no current lease agreement in place during the time of event or evidence of arrangements in place for a tenant to move into the premises on a date post the incident date.

Flex Insurance has an after hours emergency hotline. Please contact us on 1800 022 444 we will be able to assist you with arranging the required services.

This would depend upon if the lot is habitable during the drying process. Upon consideration of the full claim, Flex Insurance may be able to consider rent abatement.

The policy does not cover your contents items. If you feel as though the strata’s negligence in some form has caused the damage to occur we will require your reasons and evidence to support this to be able to consider your request.

Contact a  restorer (listed below) who are certified restorers who have undergone specific training through an accredited body such as IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoring Certification) to assist.

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This decision should be made in collaboration with an independent hygienist based on the levels of air quality. This will vary from circumstance to circumstance.

No, this should be completed by a licensed electrician. 

A combination of factors including the location, duration and source of the water, the types of building materials, the weather conditions and how quickly mitigation services begin will determine this. A professional restorer can determine when the drying is complete and you property has been returned to a dry standard through consistent monitoring and evaluation of the drying process. While there are no rules to determine how long your property will take to dry, under normal conditions you should expect between three to five days or more, depending on the affected areas, materials and conditions.

In many cases, a floors that is cupped or buckling can be salvaged and returned to a pre-loss condition without having to be replaced. The density of hardwood flooring, installation technique used and urethane finishes, will have a large bearing on the probability of success.  Drying of these types of installations may take several weeks to complete. A professional restorer experienced in timber floor drying will be able to evaluate and make recommendation in respect of the salvageablity of your floor.

Mould can usually be prevented if water damage is taken care of immediately. Prompt action to dry out the affected property is always recommended as if materials are left wet for any period of time, the likelihood of mould growth increases.

Please get in touch with Flex Insurance on 1300 001 293 (self-managed strata customers), 1300 201 021 (brokers and strata managers) or 1800 022 444 (after hours). Depending on the situation, an expert restoration company may be appointed to assess the damage and recommend corrective actions or the restorer may recommend a mould assessment be performed by a third party hygienist.

You may be able to clean up some of the damage yourself. But it is vital that you take photographs of the affected areas before you do anything.  It’s okay to mop up excess water, but if the water flooded a large area of your home, you’re going to need professional services to prevent and repair hidden damage.  Water that has soaked into porous materials can be difficult to detect, Restorers use sophisticated equipment to detect and dry out all resultant water damage to prevent further issues such as mould, mildew, and structural deterioration. 

Excess water from water damage can be absorbed into the plasterboard, Skirting, sub-flooring, etc. Drying these surfaces requires air movers to accelerate evaporation and release absorbed moisture into the air.

Dehumidifiers are used to remove this excess moisture to help protect property and create conditions for efficient drying. Please do not turn off or move drying equipment without first your restorer.

We recommend that drying equipment runs continuously until the property has been returned back to a dry standard, however, if this is not possible, then you should consult with the Restorer who will be able to advise you further.

We recommend that drying equipment runs continuously until the property has been returned back to a dry standard. If this is not possible, then you should consult with the Restorer who will be able to advise you further.

This is not always recommended.  Outside weather conditions can have a detrimental effect on the restorers drying process. Restorers will use professional judgement to determine of outside air can be used to speed up the drying process. If in doubt please consult your restorer directly.

Call your Restorer who will be able to provide you with a power usage estimate. This can then be submitted to Flex Insurance for review.

Please get in touch with Flex Insurance on 1300 001 293 (self-managed strata customers), 1300 201 021 (brokers and strata managers) or 1800 022 444 (after hours) and we to advise you further.

Please call Flex Insurance on 1300 001 293 (self-managed strata customers) or 1300 201 021 (brokers and strata managers) or 1800 022 444 (after hours). Flex Insurance can organise a qualified restorer who in most cases will be able to attend your property on the same day, usually within hours of the initial call.

Surfaces that are hard can be cleaned and sanitised. Other items that have been affected that cannot be sanitised will need to be disposed of. Porous materials such as drywall, ceiling tiles, insulation, particleboard, panelling, etc. that have been directly affected should be removed during the emergency service visit.