The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) is warning Queensland residents to watch out for “disaster chasers” eleven months after last year's Halloween hailstorm.

Next month ICA and insurers will hold another consultation in Springfield Lakes as they try to work through a “backlog” of claims.

ICA says disaster chaser activity has increased around Ipswich in recent weeks, with owners of damaged homes targeted through door-knocking and letterbox leaflets which offer “services that sound legitimate but are in fact seeking to exploit homeowners”.

“Some disaster chasers pressure homeowners to sign a contract on the spot for future repair work and may promise their insurer will pay,” ICA says.

“This can leave the homeowner liable to pay a commission or inflated repair bills not covered by their insurance policy, as insurers will only pay for approved work that is covered by a policy.

“Residents who believe they may have been approached by or signed with a disaster chaser should seek guidance from their insurer.”

One-on-one consultations in Springfield Lakes will take place from 9am to 8pm on October 6 for local customers affected by the hailstorm.

“The upcoming October customer consultations are an opportunity for the ICA and insurers to assist property owners with the progress of their claim and talk through any situations involving disaster chaser activity,” ICA CEO Andrew Hall said.

“Insurers have been working hard to resolve a backlog of claims related to last year’s devastating hailstorms, with almost 80% of claims now closed.

“Insurers have received more than 43,200 claims, with the current estimated loss $1.03 billion.”

Registration for the consultations is essential and can be completed here.