The federal parliamentary inquiry into the insurance response to natural disasters will hold its first public hearings this week when it convenes in WA.

The inquiry will hold public hearings over the next two days in bushfire-affected Toodyay and Kelmscott, and flood-affected Carnarvon.

The House of Representatives Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee is examining how insurance companies have responded to claims arising from extreme weather events. It is focusing on the accessibility of appropriate insurance cover, claims processing and assessments, and internal and external dispute resolution processes, including the role of third parties such as lawyers.

The committee’s chairman, Queensland MP Graham Perrett, says the group will travel to several areas around the country affected by natural disasters and wants to hear from residents about their experiences.