The old adage ‘it never rains but it pours’ has never been so true as in 2011!

With the severe storms sweeping across Victoria, including greater Melbourne, LMI Group has formed a catastrophe response team to handle the sudden influx of claims that were reported today.

The Victorian Catastrophe Response will be headed by Graham Cox, General Manager of Claims Services for Loss Management International. This is the fifth catastrophe ("CAT") response team that LMI have operating at the one time. The others include Christchurch/Canterbury Earthquake – CAT Manager: Tony Howie; Queensland Flood Claims – Commercial – CAT Manager; Stephen Grandidge; Queensland Flood Claims – Domestic – CAT Manager: Derek Jorgensen; Cyclone Yasi – CAT Manager: Steve Smith; Victorian Floods and Storms – CAT Manager: Graham Cox.

“It is the first time in the 12 year history of LMI Group that we have had to respond to so many natural disasters at the one time”, said LMI’s Managing Director, Dr Allan Manning. “We have visited and actioned make safe and loss mitigation strategies on every job entrusted to us today”, said Allan, “with the exception of one business where we simply could not gain road access due to swollen rivers and fallen trees. We will visit them as soon as the road is opened.”

LMI continues to operate a 24 hour 7 day a week emergency claims line. Anyone wishing to utilise LMI’s claim preparation service is invited to ring 1300 564 476 or email, claim@lmigroup.com.