First to arrive, last to leave

On 20 March, 2006, Cyclone Larry, a category four cyclone, hit North Queensland, devastating the town of Innisfail and surrounding communities.

“It was beyond anything I’d ever seen in my 51 years working for NRMA Insurance,” says Neville Pike, Assessing Consultant, who was among the first to volunteer to help the stricken community.

“We couldn’t believe what we saw. There was no power, no phones, debris on every street.”

Neville and his fellow support team quickly set up two caravans to operate as on-site offices in Innisfail and the surrounding areas. More than 2,200 people visited the caravans to lodge claims and get help – such as food vouchers for basic needs, electronic transfers of $5,000 claims advances, access to satellite phones, and tarpaulins.

“There were so many stories of our people helping the community,” says Neville.

“One of the events that stands out for me was when one of our assessors came back after confirming one of our customer’s houses was a write-off. It was the customer’s 40 th birthday, and he was devastated by the loss of his home. The assessor asked if there was anything we could do.”

“I got a $300 voucher and went over to the customer’s house. He was having a birthday party on his verandah as it was the only part of the house that had any cover from the pouring rain. He had no roof! I presented him with the gift certificate and wished him a happy birthday. He was so taken aback and really touched, and it made me feel like we were making a difference.”

As the emergency response abated, it was clear many customers – and indeed the whole community – had questions about the next steps in the recovery process. NRMA Insurance and CGU went on to fund and coordinate a free community Help Expo two months after the cyclone. The Expo helped equip our customers and the wider community with the right advice on rebuilding their homes and lives.

Attended by more than 700 Innisfail residents, the Help Expo provided information on issues such as rebuilding, planning, demolition, legal matters, taxation, financial planning and trauma counselling.

“We were in Innisfail long before anyone else, and we are still there,” says Neville. “We have always been first in and last to leave, whether it was the Sydney hailstorms in 1999 or the Canberra bushfires in 2003. I feel incredibly proud to be part of IAG.”