Emotions and under-insurance 161
experiences others have had, and this extends to thirdhand stories that circulate in the civil sphere. However, broader than this are narratives that
emerge through media in the recovery process of large-scale disaster events.
In the case of the Brisbane floods of 2011, for example, this included the
reporting of stories of individuals finding that they were not covered for
flood inundation (von den Honert & McAneney 2011).
Participants in this study at times cited the Brisbane flood event and other
disasters such as cyclones Larry and Yasi, as moments where insurers proved
that they were untrustworthy. Nell, a middle-aged female homeowner from
Edge Hill in Cairns, demonstrates this in the following;
I’ve got a weird feeling that if it’s small scale (the disaster), the insurance companies, if they’re going to look at the whole of anything in Far
North Queensland, if they’ve got to fork out a couple of million, yeah
they’ll take it, they can wear it. But if it is really wide-scale […] I feel
that’s when they’re going to go, hmm, let’s have a closer look and not
pay where we don’t have to.
Nell’s perception of the sector emerges through stories she has heard, and
a cultural framing of insurers as distrustful and lacking integrity. Her
‘weird feeling’ reflects how she interprets past events and possible future
outcomes in her suburb. She has an untrusting relationship built through
these emotions.
The lack of trust and this narrative that insurers will try and ‘get away
with it’ is reflected in the uneasiness expressed by other participants regarding their insurance policies. Kevin, a middle-aged male homeowner in Edge
Hill, illustrates this well;
There’s always that nagging feeling you’re never going to be covered for
the one thing that gets you. And I guess the one thing that bugs me
in this area is things like flood and storm surge coverage […] there seems
to be a lot of variation in what’s covered and what’s not.
Kevin’s discomfort causes him to examine and then re-examine his insurance policies to reassure himself that he has the right level of cover. Every
renewal period, he questions insurers trying to obtain satisfaction and comfort that risks in his local area are covered. However, despite these efforts,
he concedes that risk events like flooding are less ‘clear and there seems
to be a lot more inter-relationship between the terms and the time triggers
as to when they may be covered.’ While at the time of interviewing he felt
that his chosen insurer was better than prior insurers, he also relays that
these nagging emotions of risk-exposure make him feel less ‘comfortable’
and thus untrusting.
Participants in this study also displayed other emotions including that
of anger. One of the major concerns in Northern Australia is the cost of
experiences others have had, and this extends to thirdhand stories that circulate in the civil sphere. However, broader than this are narratives that
emerge through media in the recovery process of large-scale disaster events.
In the case of the Brisbane floods of 2011, for example, this included the
reporting of stories of individuals finding that they were not covered for
flood inundation (von den Honert & McAneney 2011).
Participants in this study at times cited the Brisbane flood event and other
disasters such as cyclones Larry and Yasi, as moments where insurers proved
that they were untrustworthy. Nell, a middle-aged female homeowner from
Edge Hill in Cairns, demonstrates this in the following;
I’ve got a weird feeling that if it’s small scale (the disaster), the insurance companies, if they’re going to look at the whole of anything in Far
North Queensland, if they’ve got to fork out a couple of million, yeah
they’ll take it, they can wear it. But if it is really wide-scale […] I feel
that’s when they’re going to go, hmm, let’s have a closer look and not
pay where we don’t have to.
Nell’s perception of the sector emerges through stories she has heard, and
a cultural framing of insurers as distrustful and lacking integrity. Her
‘weird feeling’ reflects how she interprets past events and possible future
outcomes in her suburb. She has an untrusting relationship built through
these emotions.
The lack of trust and this narrative that insurers will try and ‘get away
with it’ is reflected in the uneasiness expressed by other participants regarding their insurance policies. Kevin, a middle-aged male homeowner in Edge
Hill, illustrates this well;
There’s always that nagging feeling you’re never going to be covered for
the one thing that gets you. And I guess the one thing that bugs me
in this area is things like flood and storm surge coverage […] there seems
to be a lot of variation in what’s covered and what’s not.
Kevin’s discomfort causes him to examine and then re-examine his insurance policies to reassure himself that he has the right level of cover. Every
renewal period, he questions insurers trying to obtain satisfaction and comfort that risks in his local area are covered. However, despite these efforts,
he concedes that risk events like flooding are less ‘clear and there seems
to be a lot more inter-relationship between the terms and the time triggers
as to when they may be covered.’ While at the time of interviewing he felt
that his chosen insurer was better than prior insurers, he also relays that
these nagging emotions of risk-exposure make him feel less ‘comfortable’
and thus untrusting.
Participants in this study also displayed other emotions including that
of anger. One of the major concerns in Northern Australia is the cost of